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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Aerial Application Technology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #373682
Research Project: Aerial Application Technology for Sustainable Crop Production

Location: Aerial Application Technology Research

Title: UAAS test protocol and comparison of commercially available systems

Author
item Martin, Daniel - Dan
item WOLDT, WAYNE - University Of Nebraska

Submitted to: World Wide Web
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/4/2019
Publication Date: 2/8/2019
Citation: Martin, D.E., Woldt, W. 2019. UAAS test protocol and comparison of commercially available systems. World Wide Web. http://www.hse-uav.com/data-USDA-research-on-spraying-drones/

Interpretive Summary: With the rising interest in using unmanned aerial vehicles for application of agricultural chemicals, understanding how the different system types, configurations and operational characteristics impact the deposition patterns and downwind movement of applied spray is critical to ensuring efficacious applications while minimizing adverse environmental impacts. Three commercially available unmanned aerial systems were evaluated for deposition characteristics at three application heights and four flight speeds. Results showed that groundspeed had little to no impact on pattern uniformity or effective swath. Application height, however, was an important parameter for maximizing effective swath and was aircraft specific. The results from this study will provide guidance to aerial applicators using unmanned aircraft systems for improved spray deposition and chemical efficacy for control of target pests.

Technical Abstract: With the rising interest in using unmanned aerial vehicles for application of agricultural chemicals, understanding how the different system types, configurations and operational characteristics impact the deposition patterns and downwind movement of applied spray is critical to ensuring efficacious applications while minimizing adverse environmental impacts. Three commercially available unmanned aerial systems were evaluated for deposition characteristics at three application heights and four flight speeds. Results showed that groundspeed had little to no impact on pattern uniformity or effective swath. Application height, however, was an important parameter for maximizing effective swath and was aircraft specific. The results from this study will provide guidance to aerial applicators using unmanned aircraft systems for improved spray deposition and chemical efficacy for control of target pests.