Spray and manage: the country's first "flying tractor" is being tested in Russia

Field tests of the first domestic agricultural drone with a payload of 150 kg, designed for automatic spraying of fertilizers and plant protection products, have begun in Russia. The Flying Tractor is capable of processing up to 600 hectares of crops per shift. In terms of performance, the machine surpasses its terrestrial counterparts by 8-10 times. However, the developers cite the high cost of equipment and the shortage of qualified operators as limiting factors for the implementation of the technology. For more information, see the Izvestia article.

"Flying tractor" with high performance

Specialists of Kazan State Agrarian University have started testing a large agricultural unmanned complex "Heavenly Tractor". The experiment is conducted at the university's experimental sites. The 150 kg machine is capable of spraying fertilizers and plant protection products on up to 600 hectares of crops per shift. According to the creators, its performance is 8-10 times higher than the capabilities of traditional ground-based sprayers when working in similar areas with difficult terrain. This is the only Russian drone with such capabilities and characteristics.

Photo: Sky Tractor LLC

— The main advantage of drones is the accuracy of application and independence from the soil condition. You can work immediately after the rain, when the ground equipment gets bogged down. But the technology requires highly qualified operators and expensive maintenance," said Rais Sabirov, senior lecturer at the Department of Machine Operation and Repair at Kazan State Agrarian University.

The complex is based on the domestic drone BAS ID-100A. It operates at a height of 3-7 m, processing a strip 20-23 m wide. The consumption of agrochemicals is 1-50 liters / ha, depending on the type of preparation and culture. The maximum speed is 70 km/h, the working speed is 25-35 km/h.

According to the developers, the economic efficiency of drone processing depends on the size and configuration of the fields. In regular-shaped plots with an area of over 100 hectares, the cost of treatment is 180-220 rubles per 1 hectare, compared to 250-300 rubles when using self-propelled sprayers. In fields of complex configuration or with obstacles, savings reach 40%.

Various modes of application of fertilizers and plant protection products are being tested at the university's experimental sites. The results show a 15-20% reduction in drug consumption while maintaining biological efficacy.

Photo: Sky Tractor LLC

The drone processing services market in Russia is growing by 25-30% annually. In 2024, farms on an area of about 2 million hectares out of a total of 80 million hectares of arable land used such services. The main limitations of the technology are the high cost of equipment (8-12 million rubles per complex) and the shortage of certified operators, the university explained.

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The use of drones in agriculture

Bashkiria was also considering the possibility of using ID-100 unmanned complexes both in agriculture and in forest fire fighting, Mars Aminov, director of the BAS Bashkortostan Scientific and Production Center and market expert at NTI Aeronet, told Izvestia.

— The presented technical characteristics of the device look promising for a wide range of tasks. The experience of farms in other regions confirms a significant increase in productivity and a reduction in drug consumption. In the forest fire sector, the complex can be used to monitor fires, promptly deliver fire-fighting equipment, and airlift water or special trains. The high load capacity and independence from the state of the soil and terrain make the ID-100 especially in demand for solving such tasks," he said.

Photo: Sky Tractor LLC

According to the expert, in order to confirm the effectiveness of the use of drones, it is necessary to conduct field tests taking into account the specifics of both industries. The Zauralie test site can become the optimal site, where it is possible to simulate real-world operating scenarios in both agricultural and forest fire conditions.

However, as noted by the leading expert of the FoodNet market ("Foodnet") Alexey Cook, NTI, economic calculations for unmanned aircraft systems often turn out to be unrealistic, and an immature regulatory and technological framework creates barriers to implementation. UAS is not on the list of agricultural machinery, so they are not subject to subsidies from the Ministry of Agriculture. This leads to a low interest of agricultural enterprises in buying drones. Now they are mainly used only by large holdings.

— For small, medium and even most large businesses, the use of drones through service companies would be a preferable option. But few people do this, because it is a high-risk business with almost barrier barriers to entry. As a result, developments are being made, but they are rarely implemented," the expert said.

According to the expert, a systematic approach based on cooperation between the state, business, science and agricultural enterprises is needed to ensure that the UAS segment in the agro-industrial complex is fully operational.