2020
Aerial Application of Pesticides & Cover Crop Seeding Using Drones
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Contributor/Checkoff:
Maryland Soybean Board
Category:
Sustainable Production
Keywords:
Data ManagementDrone/UAS
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Andrew Kness, University of Maryland
Co-Principal Investigators:
Project Code:
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Maryland Soybean Board
$3,186
Institution Funded:
University of Maryland
$3,186
Brief Project Summary:

With the rapid advancement of drone technology, the possibility of aerial pesticide applications with drones is now realistic, especially in small, fragmented fields where using ground equipment is challenging. This project partners with a commercial drone applicator and local farmers to evaluate spray coverage and cover crop establishment flown on standing soybeans using a drone applicator. It aims to collect data to understand spray coverage and efficacy from drones. Efforts include evaluating the efficacy of foliar, drone-applied fungicides, determining parameters for improved spray coverage and evaluating coverage and determining cover crop establishment from drone compared to helicopter.

Key Benefactors:
farmers, agronomists, Extension agents, drone applicators

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Data and education in the form of presentations and articles

Final Project Results

Update:

View uploaded report PDF file

View uploaded report 2 PDF file

These data, representing only one field and one environment, demonstrate the potential that aerial seeding a radish cover crop with drones may be an effective method for establishing cover crops in these challenging fields. Future work will be done to replicate and gather additional data so that we can fully understand the feasibility of seeding cover crops with drones.

It is generally recommended that droplet density should be between 20-30 droplets/cm2 for adequate insecticide application, between 20-40 droplets/cm2 for herbicide application, and at least 50 droplets/cm2 for fungicide applications. Based on these assumptions, both Drones have the capability to deliver densities at or over 20 droplets/cm2 in the upper canopy, which may be adequate for herbicide or insecticide applications. However, a greater density of droplets needs to be achieved for adequate fungicide application. Previous research has shown that flight velocity plays a significant role in droplet density and spray coverage (Hunter III et. al., 2020). Spraying slower would likely improve coverage and efficacy of fungicides applied via drones, which will be an area of future research for this project.

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.