SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 30 October 2020
STP162720190132

Measurement and Analysis Methods for Determination of Effective Swath Width from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Source

The interest in using unmanned aerial platforms for agrochemical spray applications continues to increase; however, methods for assessing the deposition patterns for these systems vary significantly across the current literature base. As with any application platform, understanding the effects that the system and its operational parameters have on spray deposition rate and uniformity across the application site and developing an operational understanding of the appropriate flight-line spacing (also known as the effective swath width) are critical to a successful broadcast application. This work presents results from efforts to scale and adapt the available standards for the measurement of swath width and deposition uniformity from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The small platform size of current UAVs being considered for broadcast applications, along with the limited nozzle numbers used, potentially provides for deposition patterns that vary across the time of application, making it difficult to achieve acceptable progressive broadcast deposition uniformity. Deposition uniformity and the applied spray rate from finer spray treatments were less sensitive to changes in swath width than coarse spray applications. The inherent variability between replicate passes within a given spray treatment made using current standard methods problematic in providing appropriate guidance on effective swath widths for precise, uniform broadcast spray applications. Improvements in guidance were found with an increased number of replicates and analysis methods that incorporated the random variance between spray passes. The results provide a foundation for further improving methods for measuring spray deposition uniformity and operational guidance for broadcast applications using UAVs, which will be key in determining appropriate nozzle selection, operation, placement, and corresponding flight parameters that result in precise, constant application rates that are biologically effective.

Author Information

Fritz, Bradley, K.
Aerial Application Technology Research Unit, USDA ARS, College Station, TX, US
Martin, Daniel, E.
Aerial Application Technology Research Unit, USDA ARS, College Station, TX, US
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Pages: 62–85
DOI: 10.1520/STP162720190132
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-7701-7
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-7700-0