Hayleys Agriculture Unveils World renowned DJI AGRAS Agriculture Drone in Sri Lanka

The Research and Development arm of Hayleys Agriculture Holdings in collaboration with DJI training service provider, Guangdong Guo-An Intelligent Aviation Technology Co. Ltd conducted a workshop on the operation and maintenance of the DJI Agras MG-1 Agriculture Drone, and carried-out a series of field trials at pre-approved locations within the Group’s Plantation Sector to assess the Drone’s aerial spraying capabilities in challenging terrains and elevations.

The DJI Agras MG-1 is an octocopter designed for precision variable rate aerial applications. DJI states that the powerful propulsion system enables the MG-1 to carry up to 10kg of liquid payloads. The combination of speed and power enables that an area of 4,000-6,000 m² can be covered in just 10 minutes ie approx 40 to 60 times faster than manual spraying operations. The intelligent spraying system is able to automatically adjust the spray according to the flying speed to maintain an even coverage and ensure that the application is precisely regulated to avoid wastage and hence reduce pollution and minimize inputs to economize operations.

The drone is dustproof, water-resistant and made of anti-corrosive material. Its four replaceable ceramic nozzles are each powered by separate motors and the drone can be folded for easy storage and transportation. Users can control the drone manually with a custom remote or allow it to operate autonomously. In the latter case, the drone scans the terrain below it in real-time, automatically maintaining its altitude and distance from crops. The MG-1’s most impressive feature is its intelligent memory system which enables the drone to be brought back to base to refill its tank or recharge its battery and return to its saved position to resume spraying.