Innovative Agricultural Drones NZ

Because of the drone’s weight – over 25kg – and the fact you will be applying agrichemicals by air, you need a 102 Certificate. To get this, you need to create an exposition, which is essentially a manual that outlines how you will run your company. We can help with this, as we have partners who are experts in their field and can provide you with an exposition tailored to your needs.

Once this exposition is written, it needs to be approved by CAA. You will also need a pilot’s chemical rating, a 102 ground and practical course and assessment, and lastly, an agricultural rating. It is not as daunting as it all sounds, and we can help you through every step of the way! For all of the above, you can expect to pay around $14,000, and the process typically takes about 12 months.

Drones, helicopters, and ground application all have their own place, but they cannot be directly compared as they act in totally different fashions. Our aircraft don’t require the high water rates of conventional equipment, thanks to well-placed nozzles and the effect the downwash has on the spray. We have certainly found this ourselves, comfortably dropping water rates below conventional methods while still achieving great results. Drones offer a very high-precision solution to your weed problem. Traditional methods often lack precision, requiring higher water and chemical rates to compensate for their imprecision.

Batteries comfortably last one, and sometimes two, full spray loads. With a 8KVA generator, two chargers, and three batteries, you will have absolutely zero downtime waiting for batteries to charge. You can fully charge each battery at least 500 times before it needs replacing. Some manufacturers claim they can do many more, but in reality, 500 is a good safe number. Any more, and you are risking your asset in the air and the people or property around the aircraft.

The answer to this question can vary hugely depending on what you want to achieve with your aircraft. If you are a farmer who just wants to do the basics on their own farm, then the price will be comparatively less than a contractor who wants to earn a living out of operating their aircraft and offer every service it is capable of. We advise you to get in touch and briefly explain the tasks you want to achieve, and we can send you a quote with what we think is required for you.

The answer varies. Because we have been using the machines daily for a few years now, we can say one thing – they are getting better all the time. For flat land spraying at 30 litres per hectare, we can cover up to 15 hectares per hour. For orchard spraying at 100 litres per hectare, we can cover around 5 hectares per hour. As for solid fertilizer – once set up on high rates (200+kg/ha), we can get through well over one tonne per hour – a load every two minutes. For jobs more spread out and lower rates, we do about 500kg or a little more per hour. These machines really are built for efficiency and are impressive to watch.