This is a very common question I get asked by potential clients and it’s an important one! as It determines the feasibility of using spray drones on a job. However each job is different and poses so many variables, making this question hard to answer.
Using my DJI T40 in a nice open flat paddock, applying product at a standard rate of 40 litres per hectare, the expected area covered in a day is around 40 hectares (98 acres). Quite impressive considering with the XAG P30 I was flat out doing 15 hectares a day!
40 litres per hectare is a common rate for most weeds or crop situations and is also where Spray Drones are very efficient in terms of application speed and pump output.
It also depends on what is being treated in terms of application rate. For instance treating St John’s wort requires 30 to 40 litres per hectare and Blackberry 100 to 200 litres per hectare.
Greater output equals slower application speed!
Small individual plants such as grasses or herbacous weeds require considerably less rates, but often infest a large area. Trees or bushes require more liquid because the plant is multi-layered and has a large surface area.
Once you throw more complex situations into the mix, efficiency gets a bit more difficult to determine. Where traditional machinery such as tractors or utes are simply not practical to use, Drones are often a last resort.
This situation is where Spray drones are used to treat steep hillsides, creek lines and blocks that are overgrown with vegetation. These factors most definately effect the efficiency and reduce the area covered in a day.
After switching to the DJI T40 Drone I have noticed a significant increase in efficiency!
