1. Current situation of Heze agriculture and demand for drones
As a major agricultural city, Heze has vast arable land, and its main crops include wheat, corn, cotton, peanuts, etc. Take wheat as an example. Heze is one of the important wheat-producing areas in Shandong Province, with a huge planting area every year. Traditional methods of plant protection operations, such as manual spraying with backpack sprayers and manual spreading of fertilizers, are extremely inefficient when faced with large areas of farmland. Manual spraying may only be able to complete a few acres of land in one day, and the labor intensity is high. In hot weather, workers are easily fatigued. At the same time, manual operation is difficult to ensure the uniformity of spraying and spreading of pesticides and fertilizers, affecting the growth and yield of crops.
With the development of agricultural scale and modernization, the application of plant protection drones in Heze's agricultural production has become increasingly urgent. Plant protection drones can quickly and efficiently complete pesticide spraying and fertilizer spreading tasks, greatly improving operating efficiency and reducing farmers' labor burden. For example, in the wheat high-yield demonstration field in Xieji Town, Shan County, DJI plant protection drones were used to carry out "one spraying and three prevention" operations, and the spraying task of more than 2,000 acres of land could be completed in half a day. Compared with manual prevention and control, the efficiency was greatly improved. Moreover, drones can accurately control the use of pesticides and fertilizers based on the actual conditions of the farmland, avoiding waste and reducing environmental pollution, which is of great significance to the sustainable development of Heze agriculture.
2. Key points for selecting drones for spraying pesticides and fertilizers
Load capacity adaptation : Based on the scale of Heze’s farmland and the amount of pesticides and fertilizers required for each operation, the load capacity of the drone is reasonably selected. For small-scale farmland or scattered plots, a drone with a load of 10-15KG is more suitable. The volume of its medicine box or fertilizer box is generally about 10-15 liters, which can meet the needs of daily operations, is relatively affordable, and is relatively easy to operate. For example, in the small orchards or vegetable fields of some farmers in Heze, this type of drone can flexibly shuttle to complete precise spraying and fertilization. For large-scale grain, cotton and oil planting areas, such as large-scale wheat and cotton planting fields in Juye County and Yuncheng County, drones with a load capacity of 20-50KG should be selected, such as the "Hunong 2" launched by Zexiang Aviation Technology, a local company in Heze. The maximum payload can reach 20 kilograms, which can carry more pesticides and fertilizers, reduce the number of round-trip additions, and improve operating efficiency.
Battery life considerations : Battery life directly determines the operating range and efficiency of the drone. In Heze's agricultural production, if the working area is concentrated and small, a drone with a normal battery life (generally 20-30 minutes) and multiple sets of backup batteries can meet the needs. For example, on some small farms or concentrated contiguous fields of farmers, drones can quickly replace batteries and continue operations when the power is about to run out. However, for large and scattered farmland, such as some planting areas in Dongming County, it is recommended to choose a model with a long battery life, such as a drone using new battery technology or fuel power. The battery life can be extended to 1-2 hours, reducing the time loss of charging or refueling midway, and ensuring that plant protection operations on large areas of farmland can be completed.
Key factors of spraying system
Sprinkler type suitable for crops : Different sprinkler head types are suitable for different crops and operation needs. The centrifugal nozzle can atomize pesticide or fertilizer liquid into fine and uniform droplets, which is suitable for pest control and operation scenarios that require high droplet uniformity, such as pest control of wheat, corn and other field crops in Heze. For fruit trees and high-stem crops, such as pear orchards in Caoxian County and asparagus planting areas in Shanxian County, mist sprinklers are more suitable. The spray droplets they spray are larger, have a large flow rate, and can penetrate dense branches and leaves to reach all parts of the crops, ensuring that pesticides and fertilizers can be effectively covered.
Reasonable selection of spray width : The spray range of drones generally ranges from 4 to 12 meters. When operating in large-area, regular farmland, such as plain farmland in Chengwu County and Dingtao District, choosing a drone with a larger spray width can significantly improve the efficiency of the operation and cover a wider area in one flight. However, for areas with irregular shapes, scattered fields or complex surrounding environments, such as some mountainous farmland in Juancheng County, drones need to be able to flexibly adjust the spray width to ensure precise operations and avoid pesticides and fertilizers from drifting into non-target areas, causing waste and environmental pollution.
Advantages of variable spray function : UAVs with variable spraying function can adjust the amount of pesticides and fertilizers sprayed in real time based on crop growth information, pest and disease distribution data, soil fertility conditions, etc. obtained by sensors. For example, reduce the amount of pesticide spraying in areas where crops are growing vigorously and have less pests and diseases, and increase the amount of chemical fertilizers in areas where soil fertility is low. In some modern farms in Heze, drones equipped with advanced multispectral sensors and intelligent algorithms can achieve precise variable spraying and fertilization, effectively saving pesticide and fertilizer costs, improving resource utilization efficiency, and reducing negative impacts on the environment.
Flight stability and safety assurance
Wind resistance : The Heze area may face varying degrees of wind impact in different seasons, especially during the peak periods of farmland operations in spring and summer. Therefore, it is crucial to choose a drone with good wind resistance. Generally speaking, UAVs that can withstand winds of level 4 to 5 are more suitable. For example, some models adopt streamlined fuselage designs, optimized power systems and flight control algorithms, which can maintain stable flight under certain wind conditions, ensure uniform spraying and spreading of pesticides and fertilizers, and avoid operational deviations caused by wind.
obstacle avoidance system : The farmland environment in Heze is complex and there may be obstacles such as telephone poles, trees, and irrigation facilities. UAVs with advanced obstacle avoidance functions, such as those equipped with lidar, millimeter wave radar and visual sensors, can sense the surrounding environment in real time and automatically adjust their flight paths when encountering obstacles to avoid collision accidents and ensure the safety of the drone and operators. In areas with many obstacles such as farmland or orchards around cities, a powerful obstacle avoidance system can effectively reduce the risk of "explosion" and improve the safety and reliability of operations.
Redundant design : The redundant design of key components can effectively improve the reliability of the drone. For example, using a dual-battery system, multi-rotor redundant layout, etc., when a certain component fails, other components can continue to work, ensuring the safe return of the drone or completing key missions. When performing important plant protection tasks, redundant design can greatly reduce risks and ensure the continuity and stability of operations.
Protective properties : Plant protection drones operate outdoors and often face harsh environments such as rain, dust, corrosion from pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Therefore, the protection level of the entire machine is very important. Drones with high protection levels, such as IP54 and above, can effectively prevent water and dust, resist erosion from pesticides and fertilizers, extend the service life of the drone, and reduce maintenance costs. During the rainy summer season and periods when pesticides and fertilizers are frequently used, the advantages of drones with high protection levels are more obvious, ensuring that they can operate normally in harsh environments.
Intelligent management and scheduling functions : For large-scale agricultural production operations, such as some large agricultural cooperatives or planting enterprises in Heze, drone systems with intelligent management and dispatch functions are more suitable. Through the supporting software platform, centralized management, task allocation, real-time monitoring and data analysis of multiple drones can be achieved. This can optimize the operation route, improve the overall operation efficiency, and reduce operating costs. For example, when spraying and fertilizing farmland in multiple areas at the same time, the intelligent management system can reasonably allocate drone resources based on the location, area, crop type and other factors of the farmland to achieve efficient collaborative operations.
3. Recommended purchasing channels
local dealer : There are some professional drone dealers in Heze, which not only independently develop and manufacture drones, but also provide sales services. The advantage of these dealers is that they can watch the drone on site and experience the flight test, so they can intuitively understand the performance of the drone before purchasing. They can also provide timely pre-sales consultation and recommend suitable models based on farmers’ actual needs. After-sales service is also relatively convenient. Some dealers provide on-site operation training to teach farmers how to correctly use and maintain drones. When a product fails, maintenance personnel can be quickly arranged to conduct repairs and reduce downtime. Users can obtain the contact information and address of local dealers through local business information platforms, industry exhibitions or directly contacting manufacturers.
Online e-commerce platform : E-commerce platforms such as JD.com, Taobao, and Pinduoduo bring together many brands and models of plant protection drones. The online platform has a wide range of products and transparent prices, making it easy for users to compare the parameters, prices and user reviews of different products. Some e-commerce platforms will also launch promotions and issue coupons from time to time, which can save users a certain amount of purchasing costs. However, when purchasing online, you must choose official flagship stores or reputable merchants, and carefully check the after-sales policies of the products to ensure that product quality and after-sales services are guaranteed. Before purchasing, you can consult customer service for detailed product information, warranty period, maintenance services and other issues.
Factory direct sales : Directly contact the UAV manufacturer to purchase the drone to obtain the most direct product information. The manufacturer can usually provide targeted solutions based on the user’s special needs, such as customized load requirements, spraying systems, etc. And purchasing directly from the manufacturer may have certain price advantages. However, factory direct sales may have shortcomings in the timeliness of after-sales service, especially in remote areas where the coverage of after-sales outlets is limited. Users can search the manufacturer's official website through the Internet, find the contact number or online consultation window, and communicate with the manufacturer about purchasing matters.