Can You Use a Drone to Spray Pesticide in Hard-to-Reach Areas? My 6-Month Experiment with Pros & Cons

Feedback & Chat
1

Hey everyone!
I own a 50-acre tree farm in Oregon with steep ravines and dense canopies. Manual pesticide spraying was impossible, so I invested in a ​DJI Agras T40 drone (with 40L pesticide tank). Here’s my honest review after 6 months:

  • ​Week 1-2: Mapped terrain with drone LiDAR. Calibrated spray nozzles for ​20-micron droplets (ideal for pine beetle control).
  • ​Month 1: Covered 12 acres/day vs. 2 acres manually. ​Saved $1,200 on labor!
  • ​Month 3: ​90% pest reduction in drone zones. BUT wind gusts over 12 mph caused drift into a creek—EPA warning! :scream:
  • ​Month 6: Mastered ​night spraying (drones have thermal cameras). Zero drift with 0% wind.

Key Lessons:

  1. ​Legal Hurdles: FAA requires ​Part 107 license + state pesticide applicator certification.
  2. ​Battery Hell: 8 batteries = 4 hours of non-stop spraying. Invest in fast chargers.
  3. ​Eco-Tip: Use ​biodegradable pesticides to minimize runoff risks.
2

I spray kiwifruit orchards with an ​XAG V50! 30% less chemical use than helicopters.

3

This is reckless! Drones can’t replace ground crews, they miss underleaf pests. Plus, battery waste?

4

@purrfect_home Wind is my nemesis! I use ​drift-reduction nozzles + spray only at dawn. Works 80% of the time.

5

Crashed my $5K drone into a power line. Insurance denied the claim. Stick to open fields, folks!

6

Switched to ​drone-released predatory mites for aphids. No chemicals needed!

7

Always test drone propellers post-spray! Pesticide residue corroded my motors in 3 months.

8

@HomeHelper Valid concerns! I test soil monthly—no microbe drop yet. Use ​mycorrhizal supplements as a safeguard.