Under the watchful eye of news media and area winegrape growers, a remote-controlled helicopter, fitted with a spray applicator system, was field tested today over a vineyard in the heart of the famed Napa Valley by engineers at the University of California, Davis, and Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA.
For 20 years, the small motorcyle-sized helicopter, which carries the product name RMAX, has been used to apply agricultural sprays to rice fields in Japan and is now being tested for potential agricultural uses in the United States, in areas where aerial applications could prove to be safer and more efficient than tractor applications of herbicides and pesticides.
UC Davis is now one of the few universities in the nation with a Federal Aviation Administration permit to apply sprays with remote-controlled aircraft. That permit applies only to specific agricultural areas, including the University of California Oakville Station. No flights are made in the vicinity of the Davis campus.
Flanked by some of the Napa Valley’s most historic winegrape vineyards, the Oakville Experimental Vineyard at the UC Oakville Station provides the ideal site for the field tests, which began in November 2012.
“This site not only offers a working-vineyard situation, it also meets all of our federal requirements for flight zones for remote-controlled aircraft,” said Ken Giles, a UC Davis agricultural engineering professor and lead researcher on the project.
Regulated by FAA
Giles noted that the FAA regulates use of all remote-controlled aircraft and requires, for example, that the aircraft not be operated within five miles of an airport, notice of a planned flight be reported to FAA 48 hours in advance and the aircraft’s flight altitude not exceed 20 feet.
It took Giles and UC Davis development engineer Ryan Billing — both licensed commercial pilots — five months to obtain FAA clearance to operate the mini-helicopter in the Napa Valley. Experienced Yamaha flight instructors from Japan trained them on the fine points of operating the mini-helicopter.
The two UC Davis researchers are building a valuable database that will document how the RMAX might perform in agricultural operations in California and elsewhere in the United States.
“We have more than two decades of data on the performance of the RMAX in Japan, but we don’t yet have that kind of information on its use in the United States,” said Steve Markofski, a Yamaha business planner and trained RMAX operator. He noted that in Japan more than 2,500 RMAX helicopters are being used to spray 40 percent of the fields planted to rice — that country’s number one crop.
“What Ken and Ryan bring to the table is their spray application expertise and knowledge of the current application methods that are in use in the United States,” Markofski said. “As we collaborate with them on tests of spray deposition and efficiency, we’re gaining insight into to how the RMAX performance compares to spray application methods that are being commercially used for this crop and this terrain.”
About the helicopter
The sporty, red-and-white helicopter is flown using a radio signal from a hand-held controller that closely resembles controllers for miniature hobby aircraft. When the helicopter is in the air, the entire vineyard is considered an emergency-landing site. Should the helicopter lose the radio signal from the controller, the built-in safety system will cause it to immediately pause, hover and then slowly land.
Currently, only water is being sprayed on the vineyards as the researchers explore how well the aerial applicator would cover the vineyard. Water-sensitive test papers are spotted at specific sites throughout the vineyards. Water droplets from the helicopter spray system leave on the paper tiny blue dots that, when recorded and computer analyzed, provide valuable information about where the spray is landing.
The helicopter is equipped with one eight-liter tank on either side of the fuselage, giving it the capacity to carry 16 liters, or slightly more than four gallons, of water or liquid spray. The aircraft has a recommended maximum spraying speed of approximately 15 mph, as it methodically moves up and down the vineyard rows.
So far, the data indicate that the helicopter is providing thorough coverage across the vineyard and that the air currents stirred up by the helicopter rotors are causing the spray to reach even the undersides of the grapevine leaf canopy. Furthermore, the researchers have been impressed by the stability of the helicopter, even in gusty winds.
Eventually, the research team plans to conduct application tests with commonly used agricultural pesticides and herbicides. They will explore how well the helicopter compares to a tractor-drawn spray rig in terms of operator safety, cost and efficiency. They also are expanding the test flights to some almond orchards in California’s Central Valley.
The results of the study — expected to be completed late this summer – will help determine where and how the mini-helicopter might play a role in U.S. agriculture. In Japan, where rice fields average about five acres and are often surrounded by residential or commercial development, the helicopter provides a safe, efficient method for applying agricultural sprays.
Potential benefits for region
The Napa Valley’s winegrape vineyards, with their relatively small plantings, adjacent development, and often hilly terrain, offer similar challenges and opportunities. The mini-helicopter can go where a standard-sized helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft could not go and, in some situations, with less risk to the operator than a tractor-drawn spray rig.
The Latest Bing News on:
Remote-controlled helicopter
- Ingenuity Mars Helicopter down but definitely not outon April 26, 2024 at 1:28 pm
NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter, which vastly exceeded all expectations, has relayed its final transmission back to Earth. Now it's onto a new phase of its mission where it will continue to collect ...
- Bug season is about to start: Helicopter to drop mosquito larvicide on swamp in Westerlyon April 25, 2024 at 12:14 pm
Trying to reduce cases of mosquito-borne illnesses this summer, the town of Westerly will apply a mosquito larvicide to Chapman Swamp on Monday.
- Daily Deals: RC Helicopter, Power Banks, Xbox Mini Fridge, Google Pixel Smartphones, and Moreon April 4, 2024 at 8:15 am
Amazon is offering these fun Syma Remote Controlled Helicopters for only $23.31 after you apply coupon code: "45C56RLL". They come in several different colors, all of which should be eligible for ...
- These RC Helicopter Acrobatics Aren’t AI Fakes, If You Can Believe Iton March 26, 2024 at 1:55 pm
A helicopter is a crime against the laws of ... But to do whatever these remote-controlled chopper aerobats are doing is tantamount to slaying the gods and taking their throne because nothing ...
- Drone journalism begins slow take offon January 11, 2024 at 9:49 pm
In 2011, a Texas hobbyist flew a remote controlled airplane with a camera over the Columbia ... Drones will not replace helicopters because they have such a short battery life, but they could do many ...
- RC Hobbies: The Perfect Way to Relax and Unwindon December 20, 2023 at 6:05 am
Boats: These miniature boats can be controlled using a remote and driven on bodies of water, such as lakes or ponds. Drones: These miniature helicopters can be controlled using a remote and flown ...
- Getting thereon April 15, 2023 at 8:57 am
Here, even if he had a bike, he doesn't know anyone to ride with. The only toy in the apartment is a remote-controlled helicopter, and the propeller just broke. It's been two days since they ...
- The Federal Government Thinks Your Backyard Is National Airspace And Toys Are Subject To FAA Regulationson November 18, 2014 at 9:47 am
And it begs the question, what sized remote controlled helicopter or airplane use in your backyard (within five miles of an airport) would subject you to enforcement (with fines ranging up to ...
- Secret of the hummingbird's hover revealed - and it could help improve helicopter technologyon August 11, 2014 at 8:00 am
is more efficient than the best micro helicopter Think the ratio of the bird's wings make it so efficient - and could lead to more efficient and speedier designs for new remote-controlled ...
- Woman Faces A Year In Jail For Beating Drone Operator, Assault Caught On Videoon June 10, 2014 at 5:37 pm
They hear the drone, they see a flying object, and they really believe that this remote controlled helicopter has some kind of sophisticated spying tool mounted to it. For the most part ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Remote-controlled helicopter
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Remote-controlled helicopter” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
The Latest Bing News on:
Agricultural drones
- DJI Unveils Agras T50 and T25 Drones for Enhanced Agricultural Productivityon April 25, 2024 at 8:35 am
New Models Offer Advanced Features for Efficient Crop Management with Upgraded SmartFarm App DJI, a global leader in civilian drones and creative camera technology, today launched the Agras T50 and T2 ...
- Empowering Farmers: Drone Nerds Expands Agricultural Offerings with DJI Agras T50 and T25on April 25, 2024 at 7:00 am
Following widespread anticipation, DJI has announced the launch of the new generation of Agras Drones, the Agras T50 and T25 Enhanced Features for Advanced Agricultural Operations Designed to meet the ...
- Woolworths Farmers Integrate Drone Technology To Revolutionise Agricultureon April 24, 2024 at 5:00 pm
as part of the launch of an innovative Farming for the Future campaign, Woolworths has unveiled some of its suppliers’ groundbreaking use of drones to revolutionise farming practices worldwide. The ...
- Avoid These Mistakes When Flying Drones Over Your Farm Fieldon April 24, 2024 at 8:13 am
Whether you're a seasoned agronomist or a novice drone operator, understanding these pitfalls is crucial for maximizing the value of drone technology.
- Drone Communication Market to Reach $15.8 Billion Globally by 2032 at 21.4% CAGR: Allied Market Researchon April 24, 2024 at 7:16 am
Rising demand for advanced drone technology in surveillance, reconnaissance, and various industries is anticipated to drive the growth of the global drone communication market during the forecast ...
- Transforming agriculture with drone tech: The rise of Thanos Technologieson April 24, 2024 at 5:45 am
The agricultural drones automate the hazardous task of pesticide spraying, thereby improving the lives of Indian farmers ...
- Drone operators urged to give right of wayon April 24, 2024 at 4:06 am
The U.S agricultural industry is entering the growing season, which means things will get busy. The National Agricultural Aviation Association is asking all uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) operators ...
- New Ukrainian Silent Attack Drones Put Russians On The Defensiveon April 23, 2024 at 2:15 pm
Russian forces in southern Ukraine are adopting a new defensive strategy to deal with "silent" updated versions of Ukraine's heavy-duty attack drones, according to the former head of Moscow's space ...
- Drones and AI in the battle against Alternaria in potato cropson April 22, 2024 at 5:02 am
By employing ultra-high-resolution drone imagery combined with AI, a new method has been developed for the early detection of Alternaria.
- An agricultural enterprise hit in Odesa Oblast following Russia’s drone attackon April 22, 2024 at 4:04 am
An agricultural enterprise was hit, fortunately leading to no casualties as Russians attacked Odesa Oblast with drones overnight on April 22, Oleh Kiper, regional Governor, reported. Air defense shot ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Agricultural drones
[google_news title=”” keyword=”agricultural drones” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]