Drone technology for agriculture is advancing fast and so, too, is the appetite for investors to back this thriving lucrative market
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The downward air motion from the propellers forced the spray more efficiently onto the crop
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With the lack of farm labour becoming a real problem, drone manufacturers aim to address the issue with their new technology.
Latest figures suggest the agricultural drone market is growing by around 24% per year and could be worth US$5.62 billion by 2027.
ABZ Innovation is based in Hungary and has already captured significant market share in Europe with its L10 agricultural drone with onboard capacity of 10 litres.
However, the forward-thinking young company has just created a much bigger drone, which is opening up entire new markets worldwide.
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Karoly Ludvigh, ABZ Innovation chief executive, with the new L30 drone
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Its new L30 model has a payload of a whopping 30 litres of pesticides for vineyards or farm crops and boasts high spraying accuracy, high efficiency, and low operating costs.
Powered by a 25000mAh battery, the L30 is designed for farms around 80 to 100 hectares in size and can spray up to 21 hectares per hour.
It comes with a four-battery pack set, and to achieve maximum performance: one battery powers the drone, one is always charging, and two are resting. Depending on the use, the batteries are expected to have 200 to 1,000 charge cycles.
The basic L30 drone weighs 29kg without the battery, which weighs an additional 9.4kg. It has a maximum take-off weight of 72kg and a maximum spraying altitude of seven metres.
A maximum working width of nine metres is achievable with the L30, and it can also be fitted with a granular spreader.
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The L30 is designed for farms around 80 to 100 hectares in size
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The smaller L10 drone weighs 15.4kg without battery, which weighs an extra 4.7kg. It has a maximum take-off weight of 29kg. Both the L10 and L30 drones use two nozzles to apply the spray, which hits the target crop more efficiently as the droplets are pushed downwards by the force of the four propellers.
The modular structure L10 has a maximum flow rate of 4.8 litres per minute and the larger L30 has a flow rate of 16 litres per minute.
ABZ Innovation says its drones use up to 50% less chemicals and 90% less water in crop management, which creates huge economic and environmental benefits for farmers, especially at a time when weather is highly unpredictable.
“With agricultural sectors facing significant challenges, our drone technology offers a practical solution, enhancing efficiency while adhering to the highest environmental standards,” says Karoly Ludvigh, ABZ’s chief executive.
“Global political tensions, supply issues, weather and food shortages no longer make traditional methods practical. Our advanced CDA spraying system, coupled with highly optimised airflow from the propellers, set our drones apart.
“Not only do we offer exceptional efficiency, but our enhanced power train extends the life of our drones’ batteries, ensuring the lowest possible operating costs.
“Our drones are capable of navigating on a centimetre level accuracy, providing an unmatched precision in plant protection.”
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Photography: Chris McCullough