Orchard Spraying by Drone: Agras T30 Branch Targeting Technology

Orchard spraying is much harder than field crop spraying: you have to reach the treetops, get product into a dense canopy and cover the underside of leaves. Growers considering drones for the first time usually ask:

• Will the spray penetrate the canopy?
• Will it reach the underside of leaves?
• Will results be close to an airblast sprayer?

Note: The Agras T30 is a previous-generation DJI spraying drone. The current line-up includes the Agras T50, Agras T55 and Agras T70P. This article is for operators still flying the T30 or considering a used unit.

What the Orchard Test Showed

Forty-eight water-sensitive papers were placed at different heights and depths in a fruit tree. The papers change colour where droplets land, showing which parts of the tree were reached. The test showed satisfactory coverage inside the canopy with the T30's branch targeting technique.

Branch Targeting Technology

Conventionally, the drone sprays downward while passing over the tree, so much of the product stays on outer leaves. With branch targeting, flight direction and spraying follow the tree's branch structure, and rotor downwash moves leaves so droplets reach the interior and leaf undersides.

Hollow Cone Nozzles (TX-VK4)

Droplet size is critical: too small and droplets evaporate and drift; too large and they cannot penetrate. The T30 can use ceramic hollow cone TX-VK4 nozzles designed for fruit trees, producing uniform droplets of about 110-130 microns.

3D Orchard Maps

The orchard is first surveyed with a mapping drone to build a 3D map showing each tree's position and height. The software then generates routes along the tree rows, even in uneven, irregular orchards.

Practical Tips

• Fly slower than in field spraying.
• Do not spray in wind; fine droplets drift easily.
• Check coverage in your own orchard with water-sensitive paper.
• Check the product label for drone application suitability.

Current models offer a four-atomizer kit for orchards: Agras T50. See the Agras T30 page and our T30 field spraying article.