Spraying research wins award for Scion team
A RESEARCH PAPER CO-AUTHORED BY A TEAM FROM SCION ON the influence of a young Pinus Radiata canopy on aerial spray drift has won an international award.
The paper, co-authored by Brian Richardson, Tara Strand, Harold Thistle (US Forest Service), April Hiscox (University of South Carolina), Mark Kimberley and Wayne Schou, has won an award from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).
The recognition has pleased Brian Richardson, who described it as “a massive piece of work”.
The aim of the research, he told Scion’s Connections newsletter, was to see if AGDISP, a model that simulates the landing position of aerial spray droplets, held under the turbulent conditions over a rough Radiata Pine canopy.
“We measured spray drift, the prevailing meteorological conditions and turbulence using sonic anemometers,” says Dr Richardson.
“We had challenges with the data but when it was averaged across replications we found AGDISP significantly overpredicted the quantity of airborne spray.
“We also used backscatter LiDAR to quantify the height and density of the spray cloud at a central point. The LiDAR data suggested the spray cloud profile that was more complex than the AGDISP model prediction.
“This is good motivation to continue with this work and have another go at this experiment.”
The authors were honoured at the General Session Recognition Program held during the ASABE Annual International Meeting in Detroit, Michigan on July 30.
ASABE members work in the fields of the production, transport, storage and use of renewable resources, with the goal of meeting humanity’s most fundamental needs from bio-based materials. See our NZIF coverage, starting on page 20, on another part of the research on spraying with drones.