|
SC Ohio | golfnut - 7/2/2025 11:06
I'd like to hear from the forum why people choose a drone for aerial applications vs an airplane. We have a few drone applicators in the area and lots of planes. We also are mostly flat and have mostly square and/or rectangular fields. Is the attraction to drones the ability to do it yourself or do a better job, or is it lack of other options? If you have a drone has it taken the place of something or is it an addition to the operation?
I am in the plane business and not the drone business so I can only speak for what I’ve seen others do and what the pattern testing companies tell me. Have seen terrible jobs with any method of application and have seen great jobs with all of the same methods. Drone can be ok if the operator knows what he’s doing. Part of what’s giving drones a bad name in places is people buying them with no application experience and then going to work and really messing up some jobs. On the other hand, I have a farmer/custom app guy near me that does excellent work with one. Small fields or around trees, wires, etc, drone will beat the airplane every time. Decent size fields with fewer obstructions you won’t beat a plane with a drone if the plane is set up right and the pilot is doing his job. Contrary to what some people think, wheels a foot off the crop is not a good pattern on the plane but neither is 30’ in the air like you see some. Generally 10-15’ off canopy is where you want the boom on a plane depending on size of plane. The pattern testing guys say they aren’t super impressed with drones yet but they will continue to improve them at a rapid pace as unmanned application is the future whether we like it or not. | |
|
Please educate me on Drones vs Planes
