Transcript Slide 1

Hitting the Mark: Pros and Cons of
Precision Application
CropLife America & RISE Spring Conference
Crystal City, Virginia - April 11, 2014
Rod Thomas
President, National Agricultural Aviation Research & Education Foundation
Owner/Operator of Thomas Helicopters, Gooding, ID
Presentation Outline
• Agricultural Aviation Industry Overview
• Aerial Application Technology
− Development & Dissemination of
Technological Information
− Aerial Drift Reduction Technologies
− Effectiveness of Aerial Application
Technologies
Agricultural Aviation Industry Overview
• Consists of small businesses that use aircraft to enhance food,
fiber and biofuel production, protect forestry, and control healththreatening pests.
• Approximately 1,350 Aerial Application Operations in the U.S.
• Aerial application accounts for almost 25% of all commercial
crop protection applications, or 18.75% of all crop protection
product applications.
• Using USDA Economic
Research Service data it can
be approximated that aerial applicators treat 77 million acres of
cropland in the U.S. each year. This does not include forestry,
pasture, rangeland or urban public health acres treated by air.
Agricultural Aviation Industry Overview
No. of Aircraft per business:
2.1*
Percent of industry airplanes:
85%1
Percent of industry helicopter:
15%1
Total ag aircraft
3,6071
Total operator/pilots and pilots
2,700*
Average operator – 53 years old with 27.4 years experience*
Average pilot – 50 years old with 19.5 years experience*
* From 2012 NAAA Survey for 2010 activity
1 From 2012 FAA General Aviation Survey for 2012 activity
Agricultural Aviation Industry Overview
Importance of aerial application:
• Can treat in undulating terrain and wet soil conditions
that prohibit the use of other forms of application
• Fastest form of application (3 to 4 times as fast as
other forms of application)
• Prevents soil compaction; allows for no-till; reducing
soil erosion
• Non-intrusive; Prevents
damage to crops by
spraying above canopy;
not within.
Precision Application in the Agricultural
Aviation Industry
• Technologies developed by
allied industry (i.e. GPS
manufacturers) and USDA-ARS
Aerial Application Technology
Group.
• Communicate technologies
through NAAA magazine, eNewsletter, website, convention
(ASABE session)
• Communicate through
Industry Stewardship Programs
Aerial Application Stewardship Programs
National Agricultural Aviation Research and Education Foundation (NAAREF) developed the Professional Aerial Applicators’ Support System (PAASS)
Program - in 1998. PAASS is a comprehensive educational program for aerial
applicators focusing on safety, security and drift mitigation.
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PAASS reaches nearly 2,000 ag pilots a year
Offered at approximately 24 of the state and regional ag aviation association
conventions each year.
State Regulatory Agencies offer CEU’s for PAASS attendance.
PAASS has received funding from EPA and FAA.
Insurance companies offer discounts/additional coverage to ag pilots for
attending PAASS.
Crop protection product manufacturers have provided PAASS generous support
since the program’s inception.
Educational content designed by University PhD’s, crop protection product
manufacturers, insurance company reps, aircraft & spray equipment engineers).
Presented by experienced pilots, operators and other allied industry personnel
professionally trained that speak the audience’s language.
A recent PAASS Program focused on Precision Application.
PAASS Precision Agriculture Module
• Precision Agriculture has many definitions:
− “accurately managing spatial and temporal variation in crop
production”
− in terms of aerial applications, it’s putting the right amount of product
in the right location
− Variable rate – rate varies across application site
− Requires prescription map with application rates assigned to
specific zones within field
• Prescribed doses and precise application is likely the future of
agriculture. Many benefits:
− Environmental
− Fuel savings
− Efficacy (only using exact
amount of product needed)
• Expectation is Precision Ag and its related components
will become commonplace in aerial application over time
• Percent of industry using variable rate application:
1
From 2012 NAAA Survey
21% 1
Introduction to
PAASS Module’s
"Precision
Application”
Curriculum
Flow Control for Liquid Application
System Set-Up
Mike Lee, Earl’s Flying Service, LLC
Steele, MO
Dr. Dennis Gardisser, WRK of Arkansas
Lonoke, AR
Variable Rate Dry Application
System
Pete Jones
Air Repair, Inc.
Cleveland, MS
AIMMS Air Data Probe
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AIMMS (Aircraft Integrated Meteorological Measurement System) measures real
time, site specific atmospheric turbulence data to support aerial application,
including wind speed, direction, altitude, humidity and temperature.
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Enables pilot to line up swath in a manner that takes into account wind speed
and direction to mitigate drift. Meteorological data inputted and tied to GPS
latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates
Aerial Technology Advancements
NAAA Communications and the PAASS program has
influenced Aerial Applicators to increase their adoption
of drift reduction techniques and technologies.
• Percent of industry that use GPS
99%*1
• Percent of industry using variable rate application 21%*
• Percent of industry using AIMMs2
4%*
• Expectation is Precision Ag and
its related components will
become commonplace in aerial application over time.
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From 2012 NAAA Survey
NAAA 1998 survey indicated that 60% of agricultural airplanes were equipped with GPS as
compared to 25% in 1994.
2 Aircraft Integrated Meteorological Measurement System
1 An
Operation S.A.F.E.
• A program designed to analyze liquid & dry
application patterns. Calibrates aircraft to
allow for:
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Safe and accurate applications
Pattern uniformity and uniform droplet size
Reduce off-target drift
Professionally analyzed & corrected
• Aircraft with water containing dye is flown
across string which captures sample of the
pattern
Operation S.A.F.E.
Aircraft making pass spraying water
with dye to be captured on the string
and water-sensitive cards. Computer
software uses data to determine
spray pattern characteristics
Swath is analyzed, and aircraft
application equipment (nozzles,
etc.) are calibrated accordingly until
ideal swath width, efficacy are
attained.
Education & Technological Advancements Work
Confirmed Aerial Drift Complaints
378
400
# Complaints
350
300
342
333
280
244 237
250
260 247
200
150
100
50
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0
1996
1997
1998
96-98 AVG
2002
2003
2004
02-04 AVG
Drop in drift complaints by 26% when comparing 3 year periods
Conclusion
• Technological developments through USDA and private
research enable equipment and educational content
material for aerial application to be more environmentally
friendly, precise and efficacious.
• Through aerial application educational programs, the
professionalism of the aerial application industry is
augmented and the stewardship of the environment is
enhanced.
Questions
Thank You to CropLife America!
Phone: (202) 546-5722
Website: www.agaviation.org