L30 V2 spraying drone was recently deployed at the Józsefmajor farm, in Hungary, to treat a 25-hectare wheat field. This application was an officially accredited operation, registered with NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), carried out in collaboration with ABZ Drone Kft., the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Mikrovital. The objective was to apply Mikrovital Avanti at a spray volume of 20 liters per hectare.

Key Advantages of Drone-Based Spraying with the ABZ Innovation L30 V2:

1. Exceptional Efficiency and Speed :
   • High Performance Rate: The L30 V2 achieved an impressive operational speed of 7 meters per second, with a targeted performance of 14-15 hectares per hour. This significantly reduces the time required for crop treatment compared to conventional methods.
   • Streamlined Logistics: The use of a 300-liter IBC tank with the Drone Filler enabled rapid and easy mixing and refilling of the spray solution. For the 25-hectare field, only two mixing rounds were necessary (300 liters followed by 200 liters). The Drone Filler’s ability to initiate circulation early ensures a perfectly homogeneous spray mixture.
2. Unmatched Precision and Uniformity:
   • Consistent Application: The L30 V2 maintained a maximum altitude of 3 meters above the crop canopy, ensuring consistent and targeted spray deposition. The powerful downwash from the rotors aids in canopy penetration, especially at lower flight heights.
   • RTK Accuracy: The deployment of an RTK base station (M4 Reach RS2) linked to the drone ensured that the flight plan was executed with RTK-level precision. This sub-centimeter accuracy, derived from a pre-survey and orthomosaic capture, is crucial for minimizing overlaps and gaps, leading to uniform field coverage.
   • Automated Flow Rate Adjustment: The L30 V2’s advanced flight control system automatically adjusts the liquid flow rate in real-time to match the drone’s speed, maintaining the precise target application rate (e.g., L/ha). This eliminates guesswork and ensures consistent application across the entire field, even during acceleration, deceleration, or turns.
   • Controlled Droplet Application (CDA): The L30 V2 is equipped with a state-of-the-art CDA system that produces a narrow, highly uniform range of droplet sizes. This allows operators to select the optimal droplet size for specific applications, balancing coverage needs with drift minimization.
3. Enhanced Safety and Compliance:
   • Strict Wind Operation Limits: Operations are strictly adhered to a maximum wind speed of 4 meters per second, continuously monitored with an anemometer. This ensures optimal spray deposition and minimizes off-target drift.
   • Mandatory Drift Reduction: The use of a drift reduction agent (Dropmax at a 0.1% mixing ratio) is mandatory for aerial spraying, further enhancing safety and environmental protection by reducing droplet drift.
   • Reduced Human Exposure: By utilizing drones, the need for manual handling of chemicals and exposure to challenging terrain is significantly reduced, enhancing operator safety.
   • Proactive Planning: Remote weather forecasting support ensures that operations are planned to avoid unfavorable conditions, minimizing delays and optimizing application effectiveness.
4. Versatility and Adaptability:
   • Optimized Swath Profiles: The L30 offers various swath profiles depending on flight height, allowing for tailored application. For instance, at 4 meters height, it provides excellent uniformity with an 8-meter effective swath, ideal for broadacre crops like corn and soybeans. At 5 meters, it achieves an extremely wide and uniform 9-meter swath for maximum productivity in large-scale preventative treatments.
   • Speed as a Refinement Tool: Operators can adjust flight speed to refine the spray pattern. Faster speeds create a “feathering” effect for enhanced uniformity, while slower speeds allow for greater canopy penetration, ideal for dense crops.
   • Uniform Field Coverage with Overlap: The flight planning software precisely manages overlapping passes to ensure that the tapered edges of adjacent swaths combine to create a consistent, uniform application across the entire field, ensuring 100% target rate coverage.

Conclusion

The successful application at Józsefmajor farm underscores the significant advantages that ABZ Innovation L30 V2 drones bring to modern agriculture. By offering a combination of high efficiency, unparalleled precision through RTK and CDA technology, enhanced safety features, and adaptable operational parameters, the L30 V2 provides a cutting-edge solution for crop treatment. This level of control supports precision agriculture by maximizing efficacy, minimizing environmental impact, and enhancing safety for both operators and the ecosystem.