

AIRBOURNE DRONES
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why Do Drones Use Lower Water Rates for Spraying?
Drones are designed to operate with significantly lower water volumes—often just 25% of the rate used by helicopters—without compromising effectiveness. This efficiency comes down to smart design and precision delivery: Downwash Penetration: Nozzles are positioned under the propellers, using rotor downwash to drive droplets deep into the crop or canopy. Precision Engineering: Drones are purpose-built for spraying, ensuring even coverage and consistent droplet size. Low Altitude Application: Spraying closer to the target reduces drift and improves accuracy. Uniform Droplet Size: Atomizers create droplets that are fine and consistent, ideal for coverage. Tight Spray Pattern: Smaller swaths and less blade interference deliver precise, targeted application. Minimal Drift: Lower release heights and stable flight reduce off-target movement of chemical.
What is drone spraying/spreading?
It’s the use of UAVs equipped with nozzles or spreaders to apply chemical or granular products like pesticides, fertilisers, grass seed, or bait. What are the benefits? Efficient, fast application Lower labour and machinery costs Precision targeting with minimal waste Access to hard-to-reach or sensitive terrain What can your drones carry? Our DJI T50 drones carry: 40L for liquid spraying 70L for dry spreading Live weight sensors ensure accurate product monitoring in real-time. Are there regulations? Yes. We operate under New Zealand’s CAA Part 102 and hold an agricultural rating, ensuring we meet all aviation and environmental standards. How much can you cover? It depends on the job: Light-rate jobs (e.g. insecticides): ~20 ha/hour High-rate jobs (e.g. gorse): ~2 ha/hour
How much product will I need?
That depends on field size, application rate, and product type. We offer free mapping to help estimate how much chemical or fertiliser you’ll need—just get in touch.