Geraldton region grain growers fuel growing demand for agricultural drones

Drones designed specifically for weed detection, mapping and spraying are increasingly being adopted by WA grain growers as the technology becomes more affordable, industry insiders say.

WeedSmart spokeswoman Cindy Benjamin said demand for drones was surging where very wet conditions during the cropping season made ground spraying impossible.

This was the case in the Geraldton region last year, where the rain started on June 1 after growers had dry-sown their winter crops into low soil moisture conditions.

“The region then received about 400–600 mm of rain during the growing season, effectively preventing access to paddocks for spraying,” Ms Benjamin said.

“The high demand for aerial applications resulted in long delays in booking planes and helicopters, and many growers turned to drones to get their spraying done in a timely manner.”

Ms Benjamin said the growing demand raised the question of whether the technology would become a routine spraying option on farms or remain a wet weather backup option.

Perth-based Australia Agritech project manager Gary Rentenaar said DJI and XAG were the leading spray-drone manufacturers supplying the Australian market.

As well as in-crop herbicide application, he said drones were becoming better at weed mapping, summer spot-spraying, identifying areas of poor germination or misses at seeding, and compiling data and map records.

“Other uses around the farm include prescription mapping for on-ground variable rate applications, applying fungicide and insecticide, spreading mouse and snail baits and beneficial insects, and monitoring crop growth,” he said.

“Initial observations and testing with water-sensitive paper indicate that the downdraft of the blades and the low flying height can assist with the coverage of the target and reduce spray drift.

“Ongoing research and development will refine the best practice for drone spraying.”

Mr Rentenaar said drones typically covered 125-200ha a day, depending on factors such as spray type, weather, and flight speed.

“They can cover 1.5—2ha per tank, typically applying approximately 20—30 litres of spray per hectare when using a drone to apply herbicide,” he said.

“Drones are particularly well-suited to farms with smaller paddocks and farms located close to towns, where planes and helicopters are less suitable.”

DJI Agras T50 drones can typically fly for up to 10 minutes and usually empty the tank before needing a battery replacement.