With the advent of unmanned aerial sprayers in the Netherlands, lighter and more compact options stand the best chance. Drones currently seem less suitable for large-scale farming, according to a Wageningen University & Research (WUR) study. portal Nieuweoogst.nl.
In the WUR study "How do sprayer drones get off the ground in the Netherlands?" it turns out that small drones weighing up to 25 kg, with a capacity of about 16 liters of liquid, may be the main option. This applies to niche areas of fruit and tree growing, as well as spot spraying in agriculture and horticulture.
Partly because the fields are mostly flat in the Netherlands, spraying drones seem less suitable for large-scale farming. In addition, Dutch farmers usually have well-maintained spraying equipment.
WUR researchers explain in the report what opportunities and challenges are associated with the introduction of unmanned aerial sprayers. This work was commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of the Netherlands. The use of UAVs can provide sustainable forms of crop protection, and this technology can play a role, for example, in the sowing of green manure.
Now their implementation is constrained by both aviation policy and plant protection regulations. Unmanned aerial vehicles are already being tested in some European countries. France, Switzerland and Belgium lead the way. Germany is also making progress in testing unmanned aerial sprayers.
Drones are currently used in agriculture in the Netherlands mainly for mapping crop yields. The WUR study concludes that R&D can help accelerate the adoption of spraying UAVs in the Netherlands.
For unmanned aerial vehicles, aviation regulations are the determining factor. These are the rules that define what drones must comply with, how operations must be performed, and what requirements are placed on pilots. There are regulations that restrict drone flights around airports and low-flying areas. This has implications for agriculture, as many fields are located near airports.