Development and evaluation of drone mounted sprayer for pesticide applications to crops
Application of crop protection materials is one of the crucial operations in agriculture to meet ever demanding food production. The drone mounted sprayer mainly consists of BLDC motors, LiPo (Lithium polymer) batteries, peticide tank, pump, and supporting frame. Six BLDC motors were mounted to hexa-copter frame to lift of 5 kg payload capacity. Two LiPo batteries of 6 cells — 8000mAh were used to supply the necessary current required for the propulsion system. A 5 liter capacity conical-square shaped fluid tank was used to hold the pesticide solution. A 12 V DC motor coupled with pump was used to pressurize spray liquid and then to atomize in to fine spray droplets by means of four nozzles. A suitable aluminium supporting frame was used to mount the spray liquid tank, sprayer motor, spray and supporting legs (landing gears) for safe take-off and landing. The entire drone mounted sprayer operation controlling with the help of transmitter at ground level, HD FPV camera also provide at front down side of drone sprayer unit to monitoring the live spaying operation. 1.08 ha h−1, respectively at a forward speed of 3.6 km h−1 and 1m height of spray. The cost of operation for groundnut and paddy crops using drone mounted sprayer has been worked out 345 and Rs. 367 Rs ha−1 respectively. The spray uniformity was increased with increase in height of spray and operating pressure. A VMD and NMD of spray droplet size were measured and it was found to be 345 and 270 μm, respectively in lab condition. This sprayer is very useful where human interventions are not possible for spraying of chemicals on crops including rice fields and orchard crops as well as crops under terrain lands. This technology greatly helpful for small farming community in reducing cost of pesticide application and environmental pollution but also biological efficacy of application technology.
A Drone Technology Implementation Approach to Conventional Paddy Fields Application
This paper proposes an approach to implementing modern technology farming, namely agricultural drones, to help farmers enhance crop spraying efficiency, with a case study on conventional paddy fields in West Kalimantan province, Indonesia. Traditional spraying operations in paddy fields are dangerous as operators must deal with prolonged and frequent exposure to toxic chemicals. In the field experiment, an agricultural drone sprayed fertilizer and pesticides in the 1.5 ha paddy field in Parit Keladi Village, Kubu Raya Regency, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. For fertilizer and pesticide spraying, the impact on the paddy was measured periodically, involving leaves length and tiller number, randomly in the same field. Implementation in the area shows that the ground area coverage by the spraying drone was 6-7.5 m when it had an altitude is 4 m, with four nozzles and a 1.6 l/m spraying flow rate. This study implemented drone technology in the conventional paddy field, one of the famous agricultural commodities in Indonesia and other Asian countries. With this agricultural drone technology approach, we believe that semi-modernization or even modernization of conventional paddy fields can be achieved and accepted by the farmer community to increase the efficiency of farming activities and pave the way for smart farming.
Spray drying of dairy products: state of the art
Milk is extremely perishable, and yet, for a number of reasons, it has to be preserved for later consumption. The removal of water prevents the growth of micro-organisms and facilitates pres- ervation and storage of milk constituents. Spray drying is one of the most convenient techniques for producing milk powders and for stabilizing milk constituents. Before spray drying, the milk under- goes several processes (such as heat treatment, cream separation, membrane processes, vacuum evap- oration and homogenization). The chemical, physical, technological, nutritional, functional and microbiological properties of final products are influenced by a number of factors such as operating conditions, properties of the dairy products and storage conditions. The aim of this review is to de- scribe the process of spray drying of dairy products and to review the present and recent advance- ments of knowledge on the properties of spray-dried milk products, on modelling and water transfer simulation (drying and rehydration), dairy powders and the spray drying equipment and energy con- sumption.