Resources
Connecting a farm
Will Bowden, a fifth-generation farmer in Tasmania, leveraged irrigation and digital tools to remotely control 17 pivots, pumps, and reservoirs, reducing downtime and improving water management.
Case Studies
Drone spraying for vineyards
Name
Marty Smith - Absolute Viticulture
Marty Smith, owner of a 6 ha vineyard at Cranbrook and manager of 100 ha across other sites, trialled drone spraying in spring 2024 to avoid soil compaction from ground rigs during wet early-season conditions. Partnering with commercial drone operator Fergus McEwan Foulds of SkyApply, the project used an XAg P100 spraying drone and a DJI Mavic 3 multispectral drone for mapping and imagery. This approach provided faster spraying, flexibility in flight paths, and the ability to operate in ideal weather windows.
*This project was delivered by the Tasmanian Agricultural Productivity Group (TAPG) and supported through funding from the Strategic Industry partnership Program (SIPP).
What was the challenge?
- Wet early-season conditions made ground rig spraying risky for soil and vine roots.
- Ground rigs operate slowly (approx. 1 ha/hour) and are restricted by trellis layout.
- Vineyard labour was tied up in spraying operations, limiting time for other tasks.
What was the process?
- Pre-spray mapping completed using a DJI Mavic 3 multispectral drone to produce accurate site maps.
- Used an XAg P100 spraying drone, capable of 6 ha/hour, with adjustable height, speed, swath width, application rate, and droplet size.
- Obtained chemical company approvals and aerial application rates for specific fungicides.
- Conducted route planning in the drone software, refined through operator experience for different terrains and conditions.
- Focused operations on early bud growth stages to maximise timeliness benefits.
Results
Spraying rate increased from 1 ha/hour (ground rig) to 6 ha/hour (drone).
Allowed early-season spraying without risk of soil damage.
Greater flexibility in spray path to suit wind direction and terrain.
Freed vineyard staff for other operational priorities.
Enabled spraying in short windows of ideal weather conditions.
Drone spraying costs are comparable per hectare to ground rig spraying, including the one-off pre-spray mapping cost (not required in subsequent years for permanent vineyard sites).
Benefits:
- Avoided soil compaction and potential root damage by eliminating ground rig use in wet conditions.
- Increased spraying speed (6× faster than ground rig) and ability to spray in optimal weather windows.
- Freed labour for other vineyard tasks, improving operational efficiency.
- Improved flexibility and accuracy through tailored flight paths.
XAG Drones
XAG provides hardware and software solutions that integrate advanced robotic, IOT and AI driven technologies. They provide drones with spreading and spraying packages.
Estimated Cost
$15,000 - $28,600 AUD + (depending on model + package integrations).
DJI Drones
Develop drone camera systems to capture professional imagery.
Estimated Cost
$599 - $3099 depending on the model.
Other Case Studies
