Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips
In the past few years, UAV application in agriculture has increased significantly due to higher efficiency and safety, simple operation, reduced labor requirements, and saving chemicals as compared to conventional sprayers. The UAVs are widely used in agriculture, providing flexibility and more prof...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1570272/full |
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| author | Gatkal N. R. Nalawade S. M. Shelke M. S. Deshmukh M. S. Bhanage G. B. More N. M. Ramesh K. Sahni Marcel Mikeska |
| author_facet | Gatkal N. R. Nalawade S. M. Shelke M. S. Deshmukh M. S. Bhanage G. B. More N. M. Ramesh K. Sahni Marcel Mikeska |
| author_sort | Gatkal N. R. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the past few years, UAV application in agriculture has increased significantly due to higher efficiency and safety, simple operation, reduced labor requirements, and saving chemicals as compared to conventional sprayers. The UAVs are widely used in agriculture, providing flexibility and more profit to farmers. In recent years, research has been conducted on various operational parameters of UAV, and there has been no experiment or study on the effect of operational parameters and drift characteristics of UAV and control of thrips in pigeon pea crop. Therefore, this study evaluated the effect of the operational parameters of a UAV-based spraying system on the performance of agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips. A field study was conducted to determine the performance parameters in terms of droplet deposition density, droplet size, coverage, spray deposition, and relative span at different flight heights (1.5, 2, and 2.5 m above the crop canopy) and flight speeds (2, 2.5, and 3 m/s). Water-sensitive papers (WSPs) were placed at three canopy zones (bottom, middle, and top zones) of the pigeon pea plant. The maximum droplet density, droplet size, coverage, spray deposition, and relative span factor at the top, middle, and bottom canopy zones were 54.00, 50.17, and 46.33 droplets/cm²; 244.80, 239.88, and 235.37 µm; 10.53%, 10.09%, and 9.78%; 0.764, 0.714, and 0.672 µl/cm²; and 0.98, 0.96, and 0.93, respectively, at a flight height of 1.5 m and a flying speed of 2 m/s. Spray deposition was negligible in off-target zones. The field capacity, field efficiency, and application rate of the UAV were found to be 2.62 ha/h, 60.64%, and 77.86 L/ha, respectively. The maximum control efficacy of thrips on the top, middle, and bottom pigeon pea canopy was 92.45%, 90.12%, and 88.11% after 10 days of spraying experiment. This study provides recommendations for optimal operating parameters (height: 1.5 m and speed: 2 m/s) for efficient agrochemical application, benefiting manufacturers, farmers, and UAV operators for more effective and efficient spraying on pigeon pea crops. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c7eebefd20574fa39f4478b1d4646860 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1664-462X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-c7eebefd20574fa39f4478b1d46468602025-08-20T03:21:55ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2025-05-011610.3389/fpls.2025.15702721570272Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thripsGatkal N. R.0Nalawade S. M.1Shelke M. S.2Deshmukh M. S.3Bhanage G. B.4More N. M.5Ramesh K. Sahni6Marcel Mikeska7Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Dr. Annasaheb Shinde College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Ahmednagar, IndiaDepartment of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Dr. Annasaheb Shinde College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Ahmednagar, IndiaDepartment of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krushi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, IndiaDepartment of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krushi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, IndiaCentre for Advanced Agricultural Science and Technology for Climate Smart Agriculture and Water Management (CAAST-CSAWM), Dr. Annasaheb Shinde College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Ahmednagar, IndiaDepartment of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, Dr. Annasaheb Shinde College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Ahmednagar, IndiaICAR—Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, IndiaVSB-Technical University of Ostrava, CEET, ENET Centre, Ostrava-Poruba, CzechiaIn the past few years, UAV application in agriculture has increased significantly due to higher efficiency and safety, simple operation, reduced labor requirements, and saving chemicals as compared to conventional sprayers. The UAVs are widely used in agriculture, providing flexibility and more profit to farmers. In recent years, research has been conducted on various operational parameters of UAV, and there has been no experiment or study on the effect of operational parameters and drift characteristics of UAV and control of thrips in pigeon pea crop. Therefore, this study evaluated the effect of the operational parameters of a UAV-based spraying system on the performance of agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips. A field study was conducted to determine the performance parameters in terms of droplet deposition density, droplet size, coverage, spray deposition, and relative span at different flight heights (1.5, 2, and 2.5 m above the crop canopy) and flight speeds (2, 2.5, and 3 m/s). Water-sensitive papers (WSPs) were placed at three canopy zones (bottom, middle, and top zones) of the pigeon pea plant. The maximum droplet density, droplet size, coverage, spray deposition, and relative span factor at the top, middle, and bottom canopy zones were 54.00, 50.17, and 46.33 droplets/cm²; 244.80, 239.88, and 235.37 µm; 10.53%, 10.09%, and 9.78%; 0.764, 0.714, and 0.672 µl/cm²; and 0.98, 0.96, and 0.93, respectively, at a flight height of 1.5 m and a flying speed of 2 m/s. Spray deposition was negligible in off-target zones. The field capacity, field efficiency, and application rate of the UAV were found to be 2.62 ha/h, 60.64%, and 77.86 L/ha, respectively. The maximum control efficacy of thrips on the top, middle, and bottom pigeon pea canopy was 92.45%, 90.12%, and 88.11% after 10 days of spraying experiment. This study provides recommendations for optimal operating parameters (height: 1.5 m and speed: 2 m/s) for efficient agrochemical application, benefiting manufacturers, farmers, and UAV operators for more effective and efficient spraying on pigeon pea crops.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1570272/fullUAV sprayingpigeon peadriftflight speedflight heightdroplet density |
| spellingShingle | Gatkal N. R. Nalawade S. M. Shelke M. S. Deshmukh M. S. Bhanage G. B. More N. M. Ramesh K. Sahni Marcel Mikeska Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips Frontiers in Plant Science UAV spraying pigeon pea drift flight speed flight height droplet density |
| title | Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips |
| title_full | Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips |
| title_fullStr | Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips |
| title_short | Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips |
| title_sort | effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a uav based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips |
| topic | UAV spraying pigeon pea drift flight speed flight height droplet density |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1570272/full |
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