By akademiotoelektronik, 17/12/2022

Strong sloping vineyard protection Good results of drone spray

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LS check almost all the boxes.After two years of experimentation, drones appear to be a safe solution for workers and the environment and effective for the protection of vineyards on a slope.This December 2 at the sitevi, several experts expressed the results of the National Pulved Drone program at a conference organized by INRAE.

25 to 30 kg on the back

« Un pulvé à dos, c’est 25 to 30 kg on the back.With the protection equipment in addition, we manage to imagine the difficulty that it is to wear it, "said Laurent Lampin.This advisor to prevention of professional risks at the MSA Ardèche-Drôme-Loire reported the results of the measures of physical efforts borne by a drone pilot compared to those of an operator dealing with a back sprayer.

Unsurprisingly, the first work is much less painful than the second.However, piloting a spray drone is not effortless."You have to access the sloping plots, manipulate the drone which weighs 15 to 25 kg depending on whether it is empty or full.There is also the mental charge that constitutes piloting, ”said Laurent Lampin.

Also logically, a drone pilot is much less exposed than a worker wearing a sprayed back.But the surprise comes from the gap between the two.When filling the spray, the first is 6 times less exposed than the second and when applying treatment, it is 300 times less.

Caution for years of strong pressure

Regarding the quality of the application, drones fish a little.As they deposit little product in the clusters area, years of high pressure, the quality of protection drops with them.Dimitri Skoutelas, advisor to the Aube Chamber of Agriculture found it."This year, the pressure was excessively strong in the clusters zone.We had a better result with the treatments by spanish than with those by drone.The years of high pressure, you must couple the treatments in the drone with terrestrial treatments."This is what the Ardèche Chamber of Agriculture did this year successfully.This is also what the Swiss recommend.

Drift

Last drone evaluation criterion: drift.There good surprise.As soon as we equip the drones of air injection nozzles, the drift is comparable to that of an atomizer on the back and barely superior to that of a caterpillage according to the tests carried out by the IFV on its benchEoledrift.

It remains to check the last box: that of acceptance by the public and by the authorities of this new plant protection technique.The pulsed drone working group has sent a file with all these observations to the handles so that it is pronounced.