Hitting the Mark: Pros and Cons of Precision Application

CropLife America & RISE Spring ConferenceCrystal City, Virginia - April 11, 2014

Rod ThomasPresident, National Agricultural Aviation Research & Education FoundationOwner/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 health-threatening 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 EconomicResearch 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 activity1 From 2012 FAA General Aviation Survey for 2012 activity

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.

Agricultural Aviation Industry Overview

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, eNews-letter, 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.

• 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.

• 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: 21% 1

1 From 2012 NAAA Survey

PAASS Precision Agriculture Module

Introduction toPAASS Module’s

"Precision Application”

Curriculum

Flow Control for Liquid Application System Set-Up

Mike Lee, Earl’s Flying Service, LLCSteele, MO

Dr. Dennis Gardisser, WRK of ArkansasLonoke, AR

Variable Rate Dry Application System

Pete JonesAir Repair, Inc.Cleveland, MS

AIMMS Air Data Probe• 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.

• 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.

* From 2012 NAAA Survey1 An 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

• A program designed to analyze liquid & dry application patterns. Calibrates aircraft to allow for:– 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.

Operation S.A.F.E.

Swath is analyzed, and aircraft application equipment (nozzles, etc.) are calibrated accordingly until ideal swath width, efficacy are attained.

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

Education & Technological Advancements Work

Confirmed Aerial Drift Complaints

333

244 237260 247

342

280

378

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

1996 1997 1998 96-98 AVG

2002 2003 2004 02-04 AVG

• Drop in drift complaints by 26% when comparing 3 year periods

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ints

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