Summary of UAV Plant Protection Solutions from 13 Key Players: Join Us to Show Your Innovative Solutions

With the rapid development of modern agricultural technology, drone plant protection technology has become an indispensable part of the agricultural modernization process. The drone crop protection technology, characterized by its high efficiency, precision, and environmental friendliness, is gradually changing the traditional methods of agricultural crop protection. To further promote innovation and development in this field, we launched Drone/UAV Plant Protection Solutions Directory, which aims to track the development of global aerial application technology; focus on aerial plant protection solutions; disseminate information in the aerial plant protection industry; and support the technological innovation and upgrading of aerial plant protection!

This article summarizes some innovative Drone/UAV Plant Protection Solutions, showcasing how key players are using these innovative technologies to assist in agricultural production and improve crop protection efficiency. If you are also interested in showcasing your company's drone/UAV crop protection solutions, join us immediately!

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Evonik Industries

″Through Evonik’s innovation we have designed two novel adjuvants, BREAK-THRU^® MSO MAX 522 and TEGO^® XP 11134, and here provided the science behind how these adjuvants can reduce drift, maintain spray angle, act as a humectant (limit droplet volume loss before landing and increase dry time on plant surface to increase penetration), improve deposition, retention, adhesion and penetration. BREAK-THRU^® MSO MAX 522 and TEGO^® XP 11134 at rates of 0.1% to 0.4% v/v provided excellent biological efficacy of an insecticide to control thrips in cotton under field conditions in India when applied with a commercial drone with low water volume. Other commercial adjuvants used for drone applications have recommended use rates between 0.1% and 1% v/v and both of Evonik’s adjuvants have a low relative use rate. No phytotoxicity was observed with either adjuvant at all ratings. The water sensitive cards provided data to demonstrate how BREAK-THRU^® MSO MAX 522 and TEGO^® XP 11134 at rates of 0.1% to 0.4% v/v improve canopy penetration, deposition, coverage, and reduced drift. The results from this study indicate that BREAK-THRU^® MSO MAX 522 and TEGO^® XP 11134 can be used at low use rate and improve efficacy. Furthermore, these novel adjuvants reduce drift and losses from bounce-off and run-off which makes applications with drones more efficient and reduces environmental exposure from agriculture inputs applied with drones.″

Croda Agriculture

Croda launches the NEW drone adjuvant, Atplus™ DRT-7000, targeted at the Asian market. Atplus™ DRT-7000 is a robust drift control and wetting / spreading adjuvant that has been designed for tank mix applications for low volume spray applications such as drones.

Atplus™ DRT-7000 allows for precise targeting, increased crop coverage, minimised wastage, and off-target drift when included in a tank-mix, contributing to a more sustainable and effective UAV-based agricultural approach.

Key features and benefits of Atplus™ DRT-7000:

-    Robust drift control performance

-    Improved spray retention and spreading

-    Low phytotoxicity

-    Safe and non-hazardous

-    Good compatibility with other agrochemicals

-    Designed and targeted for the Asian market

Clariant International 

″In response to the growing demand for ultra-low volume (ULV) aerial drone spraying, we have also recently launched Synergen DRT, the first adjuvant designed for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) application. This trend is particularly apparent in Asia, where the consolidation of arable land, changing farmer demographics, and rising labor costs will accelerate the broad use of UAV technologies, also in China. Compared to conventional applications, aerial drone use requires more concentrated spray solutions (5 to 30 L/ha) and Synergen DRT uses specialized formulation technology to improve the solubility, or suspensibility, of the active components. This enhances retention, coverage, and foliar uptake with low phytotoxicity risk. Clariant is already developing the second generation of Synergen DRT to keep pace with the rapidly evolving market dynamics and technological advancements,″ said Uwe Dahlmann, Clariant’s Global Head of Crop Solutions, Vice President, BU Care Chemicals.

Nouryon

″Specific to crop protection, we see the adoption of newer application technologies such as drones and ultra-low volume (ULV) systems. In drone applications, the application volume may be as low as 10-30L/Ha, in contrast to the 2-400L/Ha needed for conventional spray applications. The less water used in application, the greater the risk of issues related to active ingredient suspensibility and formulation stability. Agrilan^® 1028 is an ideal candidate to help in the suspensibility of the formulation to minimize nozzle clogging. It facilitates compatibility between pesticides and fertilizers in suspension concentrates and in tank-mix situations. It also allows dilution of suspension concentrates into fertilizers and prevents flocculation and sedimentation when several formulations are mixed in the spray tank.″

Stepan Company

″Our initial product offerings in the UAV crop protection area include STEPGROW^® MP-ADJ and STEPGROW DSD. The former is a versatile multi-functional adjuvant proven to improve drift reduction, wetting, spreading and deposition properties. STEPGROW MP-ADJ is the ideal choice for formulators looking to improve performance at a lower dosage.″ said Shrikant Aherkar, Lead Scientist, Stepan Agricultural Solutions – Asia Pacific

″STEPGROW DSD is methyl ester-based adjuvant designed to solve issues with drift, sticking and deposition. Methyl ester-based adjuvants are commonly used in the industry and formulators looking for better drift reduction at the same application rate and similar chemistry would do well with STEPGROW DSD.

To ensure that we meet the formulation needs for drone application, Stepan conducted lab and field testing to assess the performance of these two adjuvants in real world applications.″

Momentive

The use of drone as agricultural sprayers is a growing trend in technology that offers farmers many benefits. It is safer, less labor intensive, more precise and they can also reduce water use. Despite these added benefits, drone use can negatively affect coverage and canopy penetration, while also increasing the drift potential. To overcome these challenges, Momentive has designed high-performance organosilicone adjuvants that can be used in ultra-low spray volumes that can solve these negative effects and enhance treatment efficiency.

SINVOCHEM

″From our numerous experiences, we found that to maximize efficacy, the most effective solution is to optimize or upgrade the aerial application package. For example, lower suspensibility commonly seen in WP products during aerial application can be improved by formulating the product into DF. In additon, adding a tank-mix adjuvant also improves droplet transmission. For instance, SP-6900 increases hold time when used in EC, OD, SC formulations or pesticide-fertilizer mixtures. SP-4506 helps reduce loss due to drifting and increases deposition on the target. SP-4026 improves spreading of liquids on the surface of the target, driving the liquids to reach the inside of flower buds to enhance the insecticidal effect against tiny pests. SP-4806 improves in-vivo translocation of triazole pesticides within the target plant,″ said Dr. James Qin, CTO & Founder of SINVOCHEM.

″Apart from offering general-purpose adjuvants for aerial application, SINVOCHEM has been working jointly with some of its customers to investigate the factors that affect the efficacy of pesticides from the perspectives of technicals, formulations, adjuvants, crops and targets of application. These efforts have been of great assistance to developing tank-mix adjuvants to achieve ″better delivery of pesticide efficacy.″

WuXi JingFung technology

As traditional agriculture transitions to efficient agriculture, drone application of pesticides becomes increasingly important. However, drone application faces challenges with tank mixing: 1. Ultra-low dilution ratios. 2. The randomness and disorder of tank mixing can lead to combinations like suspension + suspension; suspension + emulsion; suspension + microemulsion; emulsion + WDG tank mix. 3. Currently, most drone applications include liquid fertilizers, foliar fertilizers, amino acid fertilizers, etc. The tank mix of these with liquid fertilizers results in a high-salt system, reducing stability.

Wuxi yijingfung Technology Co., Ltd. originally developed a dispersant called ULTRASURF 7321 for high-salt suspensions. It can be used to prepare high-salt suspensions containing glufosinate, glyphosate, choline chloride, etc. Recently, researchers found that suspensions prepared with ULTRASURF 7321 have excellent tank mix stability and can be mixed with almost all liquid fertilizers available on the market. It can also serve as an additional stabilizer for tank mixing. This product excels in enhancing the stability of drone application tank mixes and performs well when mixed with different fertilizers, thereby providing a strong guarantee for drone application tasks.

Noposion Agrochemicals

″Since 2016, with the rapid development of the aerial crop protection industry in China, the use of agricultural drones for pest and disease control has become a focus of attention among farmers engaged in agricultural production, especially farmers in the wheat, rice, corn, peanut, and cotton growing regions, where the aerial application of crop protection products has covered almost the whole growth period of crops.

From 2016 to 2018, to meet the requirement of the rapid growth of aerial applications, we prioritized the screening of the existing commercially available pesticides in our company, which were lab tested to determine the tank-mix product performance, including the tank-mix suspensibility, particle size distribution, physical stability of tank-mix system (hot/normal/cold storage), chemical stability of tank-mix system (decomposition rate of pesticidal active ingredients), the interfacial chemical and physiochemical performance indicators such as particle size distribution, which are directly aerially applied at low-volume spray after checked to be up technical standard. In this stage of promotion and application, Shenzhen Yuyan Intelligent Co., Ltd of Noposion established three major aerial crop protection service brands: Maiqingsong, Daoqingsong, Heweishi, and Yuyan Intelligent’s Tiantian product for aerial application. 

Since 2018, with the expansion of the operation area of aerial application, farmers and distributors have raised higher requirements on the physiochemical properties and interfacial chemical performance indicators of aerial crop protection products. ″ said Zhang Long, R&D Director of Noposion. 

″ To meet this requirement, our company conducted a series of formula upgrades: 

1) Upgrading of the formula process of WDG, which upgrades the existing product formula to a dry suspension process. This enables an increase in the suspension rate from 80%-85% to above 95% and an increase of dispersion in water by 3-5 times to form a stable suspension, being free of precipitation quickly, being free of precipitation, agglomeration and blockage of nozzle, as represented by Manhu (pyraclostrobin·zineb 65%), Kesuicui (tricyclazole 75%), Shuaifeng (spirotetramat·pymetrozine 65%), copper hydroxide series and dimethomorph 80% DF.

2) The development of a number of high-efficiency and low-dosage novel formulations, such as nano-microemulsions, nano-microcapsules, and nano-suspensions, which are of good water dispersibility, high foliar deposition, and longer controlled release. These are represented by abamectin·trifluorobenzene 11% SC, emamectin benzoate 5% ME and cyhalothrin 25% CS, trifloxystrobin·tebuconazole 42% SC and chlorantraniliprole series.

3) Gradual development of products with aerial application functions and synergic effect via optimization of interfacial properties, synergism, and tank-mix compatibility, currently under in-house development. 

Concerning the promotion and application of aerial crop protection products, from 2016 to 2024, Shenzhen Yuyan Intelligent of Noposion has established its agricultural service centers to promote its three major aerial application brands - Maiqingsong, Daoqingsong, and Heweishi, which serve more than 10,000 large growers and more than 200 large-scale agricultural cooperatives via the nearly 100 service centers in 37 districts and counties in China. Meanwhile, we are cooperating with large state-owned farms like Shanghai Chuandong Farm, Jiangsu Dazhong Farm and Huafeng Farm, which have served more than 10 million mu of cropland. 

Our development plan in aerial crop protection is: 1) To continue the development of pesticide formulations with better interfacial performance, synergism, and tank-mix compatibility while endearing to develop adaptive adjuvants to meet different needs such as control of resistant weeds, plant diseases and insect pests; 2) To continue the deployment of regional Yuyan Intelligent Agricultural Service Center to train and foster Yuyan Intelligent Makerspace to serve large growers with more than 100 mu of planting area(6.7 Ha), such as provision of whole course crop protection service covering wheat, rice and corn crops in the Jianghuai River Basin as well as citrus and vegetable in the provinces of Shandong, Hainan, Guangxi and Sichuan.″

Zhejiang Xinan Chemical Industrial Group

″Since 2016, Wynca has been making deployments in the aerial crop protection industry, being committed to aerial application of crop protection products, development of spraying machines and application technologies. The unique advantage of Wynca’s aerial application lies in its ″seed-pesticide-fertilizer-aerial application″ system focusing on field crops such as wheat, corn, and rice with coverage of particular crops including tea and betel nut; Wynca provides farmers with the ″product + service″ one -stop service. Meanwhile, large platforms are established to incorporate resources that link the upstream service providers and the downstream service demanders to enable the sharing of information and efficient operation of aerial applications. ″ said Qian Zhigang, Deputy Director of Crop Protection R&D Center of Wynca.

In 2023, Wynca conducted direct aerial applications to more than 2 million mu（0.133 million Ha) of cropland and indirect aerial applications to more than 3 million mu (0.2 million Ha) of cropland, via the supply of crop protection products.

Syngenta Group

Syngenta has been closely watching aerial application development in China and has done a lot of exploratory work. To better meet the formulation requirement for aerial application, Syngenta adopted a ″two-leg-walking″ strategy. For products that have been released to market, Syngenta conducts relevant physical tests based on the aerial application scenarios, covering suspension rate, dilution stability, and emulsion stability to screen the formulations fit for aerial application; for newly developed products, Syngenta gives priority to the aerial application needs in new product development. In the formulation design, the adjuvant system is optimized to achieve the best effect of aerial application; a series of aerial application-related tests are carried out in the development process to ensure that the new product is fit for aerial application. In addition, Syngenta has developed a device that can simulate drone spray to test the spray performance.

The mixed application of pesticides is a common way of pesticides application in China, which often includes pesticide, pesticide mixtures, pesticide-foliar fertilizer mixtures, and pesticide-biostimulant mixtures. However, in the case of the concentration for aerial application, the above-mentioned mixtures are prone to incompatibility, resulting in problems such as flocculation, layering, sedimentation and foaming. Over the last few years, Syngenta has done a lot of testing on tank-mix compatibility, having established a scientific and rational method for testing and evaluating the compatibility of mixtures, which has been promoted and used in aerial applications. Moreover, Syngenta has conducted in-depth research into the tank-mix compatibility-targeted adjuvant, having selected suitable adjuvants for use in Syngenta’s various tank-mix solutions to enable better stability and performance.

Bayer CropScience

″Bayer has developed an drone application app (including two mini apps - Drone Plus Agricultural Service and Drone Plus Pilot), which utilizes digitalization to achieve fast information exchange while using shared operation data to make drone applications transparent. This app can restrain drone pilots' business conduct, enabling the improvement of the quality of drone applications. ″ said Li Ruijiang, Drone Application Manager of Bayer Crop Science China.

″Drone Plus″ is a one-stop specialized platform to support drone application operations via integration of local socialized service forces, using digital tools to create the ″product + service win-win drone application ecosystem″ which establishes a more convenient and high-quality drone application service system in favor of farmers, pilots and Bayer’s partners. The platform has three key advantages: 1) Bayer’s products are subjected to rigorous drone application-targeted testing, from laboratory testing up to field testing; 2) Drone pilots selected by ″Drone Plus″ would receive a series of training and are subjected to standardized regulation and supervision through the drone backstage data system; 3) All purchase orders are placed at one click with fast interaction, which realizes dynamic visualization of drone application and documentation of data, being summarized as a ″specialized product + standardized operation + digital tracking″ system achieve optimization and balance of effect and efficiency.

In 2022, Bayer began its ″one-stop drone application program″ in Xinjiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Henan, covering cotton, rice, and corn, totaling to about 250,000 mu of cropland. Today, the ″Drone Plus″ has covered many field crop-producing counties in northern China.

Guangxi Tianyuan Bichemistry

Up to now, Guangxi Tianyuan has been a prime enterprise in China granted registration of ultra-low-volume (ULV) formulations for use in field crops, in possession of 17 ULV formulations with all three certificates, accounting for 70% of the total registered field crop-targeted ULV liquid products; the company has filed for 109 patents pertaining to ULV spray products and supportive equipment or technology.

Guangxi Tianyuan has participated in the research program entitled Development and Application of Green Novel Pesticides and Formulations for Control of Major Crop Insect Pests, which won the second prize in the 2019 National Science and Technology Progress Award. The Development and Application of Novel Formulations aim to fill the gap in the product varieties for aerial application, for which Guangxi Tianyuan has developed a ULV formulation and formula system fit for aerial application, and has developed a high-efficiency aerial application-oriented new technology.

Guangxi Tianyuan’s ULV formulations have good tank-mix properties, which prevent evaporation and drift when atomized into small particle droplets. They are safe for crops at low dilution or no dilution and are specialized agents for aerial application, specially designed for aerial application of crop protection products.

Anti-evaporation - Guangxi Tianyuan’s ULV formulation evaporation weight loss of 30% is ≥ 5 minutes; the evaporation rate of conventional formulations under the same condition for 5 minutes is over 2 times that of Guangxi Tianyuan’s ULV formulations.

Anti-drift - 10% drift is reduced. Droplets with particle size below 30 μm is difficult to sediment on the surface of crops even under windless conditions while the 10-fold water-diluted ULV product reduces droplets below 30 μm by above 10% under the same spray equipment versus the conventional formulations.

High tank-mix stability – ULV products can be mixed with each other in random order, without layering, flocculation, crystallization or uneven mixing. Even if stored for 24 hours after mixing, it can be still used as normal.

Guangxi Tianyuan’s ULV product applications have been growing year after year. In 2023, its ULV product application area reached 16 million mu (1.1 million Ha).

If you'd like to share your company's solutions or have any promotion demands, please contact Grace Yuan: grace@agropages.com