Technical Report on the Spraying Uniformity of ABZ Innovation Agricultural Drones
1.0 Introduction
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), are revolutionizing product application in agriculture. Their ability to operate in complex terrains, reduce soil compaction, and enable precise, targeted applications oers signicant advantages over traditional ground-based and manned aerial methods. However, the ecacy and environmental safety of drone-based spraying are contingent upon achieving a uniform distribution of the applied product across the target area. Non-uniform application can lead to under-dosing, which reduces product ecacy and can contribute to pest resistance, or over-dosing, which can cause crop damage, increase input costs, and pose risks to non-target organisms and the surrounding environment.
This report provides a technical overview of the key operational parameters that determine spraying uniformity, with a specic focus on the ABZ Innovation L10 and L30 models. It places a specic focus on ight speed, ight height, and droplet size, which can be precisely controlled using the advanced Controlled Droplet Application (CDA) technology integrated into these models. This document synthesizes established principles from scientic literature with extensive internal testing to present performance and coverage data for the L10 and L30 models.
2.0 Factors Inuencing Spraying Uniformity
The distribution of spray droplets from an ABZ Innovation drone is a complex process inuenced by the aircra’s aerodynamics, nozzle technology, and prevailing environmental conditions. The following sections detail the critical role of operator-controlled parameters in achieving a uniform spray swath, with principles backed by our internal research.
2.1 Flight Height
The height at which an L10 or L30 drone operates above the crop canopy is a critical factor inuencing swath width, droplet deposition, and dri potential.
- Swath Width and Uniformity: Both industry research and our internal validation studies show that as ight height increases, the eective swath width generally increases. Our tests conrm that a lower ight height (e.g., 1.5-2.5 meters above the canopy) results in a higher concentration of droplets directly beneath the drone’s ight path and beer canopy penetration due to the powerful downwash from the rotors on the L10 and L30.
- Dri Potential: Our eld data, consistent with industry research, shows that higher ight altitudes increase the time droplets are airborne, making them more susceptible to wind and increasing the risk of o-target dri.
- Canopy Penetration: The downwash generated by the L10 and L30’s rotors is essential for forcing droplets into the crop canopy. Our internal studies have focused on optimizing this eect, conrming that the strength of this downwash eect diminishes with increasing altitude. Therefore, for crops with dense canopies, a lower ight height is preferable.
2.2 Flight Speed
Flight speed interacts with ight height and ow rate to determine the application volume and the uniformity of deposition.
- Deposition and Coverage: Increasing ight speed without a corresponding increase in ow rate would normally reduce the volume of product applied per unit area. However, the ABZ Innovation L10 and L30 solve this challenge by automatically adjusting the liquid ow rate in real-time to match the drone’s speed, ensuring the target application rate (e.g., L/ha) is consistently maintained. While faster speeds increase operational eciency, our tests show they can still aect the spray paern’s shape.
- Optimal Speed Range: Our performance trials, supported by academic research, indicate that there is an optimal speed range for most applications. Our ndings show a ight velocity of 2-6 m/s oen provides the best balance of deposition eciency and reduced ground loss. The ideal speed for an L10 or L30 is crop- and product-dependent.
2.3 Droplet Size and Controlled Droplet Application (CDA)
Droplet size is arguably one of the most critical factors in spray application, directly impacting coverage, dri, and biological ecacy. The ABZ Innovation L10 and L30 excel in this area due to their integrated CDA systems.
- Coverage vs. Dri: Smaller droplets provide beer coverage (more droplets per unit area) but are also more prone to dri. Larger droplets are less susceptible to dri but may provide inadequate coverage. The ideal droplet size, therefore, represents a balance between these two factors.
- Controlled Droplet Application (CDA): The ABZ Innovation L10 and L30 models are equipped with state-of-the-art CDA systems. Unlike conventional hydraulic nozzles that produce a wide spectrum of droplet sizes, our CDA systems use rotary atomizers to generate a narrow, highly uniform range of droplet sizes. This allows the operator to select the optimal droplet size for a specic application.
- Research Findings: The ecacy of the L10 and L30’s CDA technology is validated by our own extensive research, which aligns with foundational studies on droplet dynamics. Our tests conrm that increasing droplet size signicantly reduces dri. The ability of the L10 and L30 to precisely control droplet size is a key, veriable advantage.
3.0 Estimated Field Droplet Coverage for ABZ Innovation Drones
The following datasheets provide conservative estimates of droplet densities achievable by the L10 and L30. These values are derived from our comprehensive eld trials and are representative of real-world performance, accounting for factors such as canopy interception, minor dri, and evaporation. A common target for many applications is 20-70 droplets/cm² to ensure ecacy.
3.1 L10 & L30 Models – Estimated Droplet Density (droplets/cm²)
| Application Rate (L/ha) | Fine Droplets (~150µm VMD) |
Medium Droplets (~250µm VMD) |
Coarse Droplets (~350µm VMD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | ~40–70 | ~15–30 | ~8–15 |
| 20 | ~80–140 | ~30–60 | ~15–30 |
| 30 | ~120–210 | ~45–90 | ~20–45 |
| 40 | ~160–280 | ~60–120 | ~30–60 |
| 50 | ~200–350 | ~75–150 | ~40–75 |
| 60 | ~240–420 | ~90–180 | ~50–90 |
Note: Actual droplet density can vary based on crop type, canopy density, ight parameters, and environmental conditions.
4.0 Performance Data and Swath Dynamics
A key feature of the ABZ Innovation L10 and L30’s advanced ight control system is the automatic ow rate adjustment. The pilot sets a target application rate (e.g., Liters per Hectare or Gallons per Acre) before the mission. During ight, the system continuously monitors the drone’s ground speed and automatically adjusts the liquid
flow from the CDA system to maintain this precise rate. This ensures a consistent and even application across the entire eld, even as the drone accelerates, decelerates, or navigates turns. This automation removes the guesswork from rate control and is fundamental to achieving uniform coverage.
4.1 ABZ Innovation L10: Swath Prole vs. Flight Height
The following charts illustrate the L10’s spray deposition paern as a percentage of the average coverage across the swath. A aer line indicates beer uniformity (a lower Coecient of Variation).
Chart 4.1.1: L10 at 2 Meters Height
- Eective Swath: 4.5 meters
- Paern: Highly concentrated with a peak of ~140% of the average rate at the center.
- Best Use: Targeted application where high concentration is needed.
Chart 4.1.2: L10 at 3 Meters Height
- Eective Swath: 5.0 meters
- Paern: More balanced, with a less pronounced central peak (~120%).
- Best Use: General purpose, good balance of coverage and penetration.
Chart 4.1.3: L10 at 4 Meters Height
- Eective Swath: 5.5 meters
- Paern: Wide and uniform, with most of the swath near the 100% average.
- Best Use: Field crops, maximizing coverage with overlap.
Chart 4.1.4: L10 at 5 Meters Height
- Eective Swath: 6.0 meters
- Paern: Broadest and most even, designed for overlapping passes.
- Best Use: Maximum eciency on large, open elds (e.g., pasture, cereals).
4.2 ABZ Innovation L30: Swath Prole vs. Flight Height
The larger L30 shows a similar relationship between height and uniformity but across a wider swath.
Chart 4.2.1: L30 at 3 Meters Height
- Eective Swath: 7.0 meters
- Paern: Concentrated for a wide drone like the L30, with a peak of ~125%.
- Best Use: High-volume applications on row crops or orchards.
Chart 4.2.2: L30 at 4 Meters Height
- Eective Swath: 8.0 meters
- Paern: Excellent uniformity, with a wide, at deposition paern.
- Best Use: The standard for broadacre crops like corn and soybeans.
Chart 4.2.3: L30 at 5 Meters Height
- Eective Swath: 9.0 meters
- Paern: Extremely wide and uniform, designed for maximum productivity.
- Best Use: Large-scale preventative treatments where eciency is paramount.
4.3 Adjusting Flight Speed for Spray Paern Renement
While the L10 and L30’s intelligent system automatically adjusts the ow to maintain the target application rate (L/ha) regardless of speed, ight velocity still plays a crucial role in rening the spray paern’s shape and its interaction with the crop.
- Faster Speed for Enhanced Uniformity: As the drone moves faster, the surrounding airow interacts more dynamically with the spray droplets. This can create a “feathering” eect at the edges of the spray swath, resulting in a soer, more gradual taper. This eect can lead to an even more seamless blend between overlapping passes, further enhancing eld-level uniformity, especially when ying at higher altitudes for maximum eciency.
- Slower Speed for Canopy Penetration: A slower speed allows the powerful downwash from the rotors to have a more direct and prolonged impact on the crop canopy below. This focused energy is ideal for driving droplets deep into dense canopies, ensuring the product reaches lower leaves and stems where pests and diseases may hide.
Operators can therefore use speed as a nal tool for renement: use a faster speed to achieve the highest level of uniformity on open eld crops, and a slower speed when maximum canopy penetration is the primary goal.
4.4 Achieving Uniform Field Coverage with Overlap
The key to achieving true eld-level uniformity is the precise overlapping of each spray pass. As the charts above show, the deposition rate naturally tapers o at the edges of a single swath. By seing the correct swath width in the ight planning soware, the system ensures that the tapered edge of one pass is perfectly compensated by the tapered edge of the adjacent pass.
This technique smooths out the minor variations from each individual line, resulting in a highly consistent application across the entire eld.
Chart 4.4.1: Uniform Field Coverage Through Overlapping Swaths
This chart illustrates how the tapered edges of two adjacent spray passes combine to create a consistent, uniform application. The goal is for the sum of the coverage in the overlap zone to equal the target rate (100%).
Example using a simplied single-pass prole:
- Result: The dip in coverage at the edge of Pass 1 (down to 50%) is perfectly lled by the start of Pass 2 (which provides the other 50%), resulting in a continuous, even application at the target rate (100%) across the entire eld.
5.0 Conclusion
The eective and responsible application of agricultural products is dependent on the precise control of operational parameters. As demonstrated by our extensive internal testing and supported by the body of scientic research, ight height, ight speed, and droplet size are critical factors that must be optimized to ensure a uniform spray distribution.
The ABZ Innovation L10 and L30 drones, equipped with advanced CDA systems, provide applicators with the necessary tools to control these parameters with a high degree of precision. The ability to select an optimal droplet size, combined with adherence to recommended ight speeds and heights, allows the L10 and L30 to achieve consistent, uniform coverage.
This level of control supports modern precision agriculture by:
- Maximizing Ecacy: Uniform coverage ensures the proper dose is applied.
- Minimizing Environmental Impact: Precise control reduces o-target dri.
- Enhancing Safety: Applying product only where needed creates a safer environment.
We are condent that the ABZ Innovation L10 and L30 agricultural drones represent a safe, eective, and reliable plaorm for aerial application.
6.0 References
- Chen, S., Lan, Y., Li, J., Zhou, Z., Liu, A., & Mao, Y. (2020). Eect of Droplet Size Parameters on Droplet Deposition and Dri of Aerial Spraying by Using Plant Protection UAV. Agronomy, 10(2), 195. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10020195
- Giles, D. K., & Billing, R. C. (2024). Agricultural spray drone deposition, Part 2: operational height and nozzle inuence paern uniformity, dri, and weed control. Weed Science, 72(6), 633-643.
- Ingle, R. G., Kamble, A. K., Thakare, S. H., Gajakos, A. V., & Karale, D. S. (2024). Performance evaluation of UAV sprayer on coon crop. International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research, 8(12), 502-506.
- Li, X., Giles, D. K., Niederholzer, F. J., & Andaloro, J. T. (2022). Eect of ight velocity on droplet deposition and dri of combined pesticides sprayed using an unmanned aerial vehicle sprayer in a peach orchard. Frontiers in Plant Science, 13, 981494. https://doi.org/10.3390/fpls.2022.981494
- Lou, Z., Xin, F., Li, J., Ruan, C., & Han, X. (2024). Spray deposition and uniformity assessment of unmanned aerial application systems (UAAS) at varying operational parameters. Frontiers in Agronomy, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fagro.2024.1418623
- Panday, S., Maharjan, S., & Shrestha, S. (2024). Eects of Flight Heights and Nozzle Types on Spray Characteristics of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Sprayer in Common Field Crops. AgriEngineering, 7(2), 22. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriengineering7020022
- Wang, C., Song, J., He, X., Wang, Z., Wang, S., & Meng, Y. (2023). Evaluation of Spray Dri of Plant Protection Drone Nozzles Based on Wind Tunnel Test. Agriculture, 13(3), 628. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture13030628
