Orchardists in Hawke's Bay are adopting an innovative approach to ensure a bountiful harvest and improve sustainability.
This season, they're turning to drones to revolutionise the way they spray their crops, replacing traditional methods like tractors and helicopters.
The adoption of drone spraying is seen as a game changer by industry leaders, as it offers both cost savings and a reduced carbon footprint.
One of the newest tools in the horticulture industry's arsenal, drones are proving their worth, according to Aotearoa New Zealand Fine Wine Estates' associate viticulturist Daniel Brewster.
"With drone spraying, we were able to spray a property that would normally take three days in just three hours, making it a massive timesaver."
Drones can navigate a pre-mapped course through an orchard, giving farmers more control and the potential for increased spray coverage compared to traditional methods.
A tractor would typically distribute around 1000 litres over two hectares per hour, while the new drone being trialled can cover five hectares in the same time frame while only using 500 litres.
However, growers are eager to assess the effectiveness of this new distribution method. To do this, sections of apple orchards are being exclusively sprayed with drones to compare the results to traditional techniques.
NZ Apples and Pears member engagement manager Anna Lambourne said drones have the benefit of sustainability with the potential for targeted and reduced chemical use.
The trial was just one of a range of new technologies the industry is exploring.
"Going forward, we really want to focus on being able to home in on problem areas and just spray specific disease or pest areas, reducing the overall chemical usage," she said.
"Over the next seven years we aim to improve our sustainability and produce even safer apples and this is one of the technologies that has got potential, so over the next 12 months we are really going to have a look at it and see is it going to work, is it going to be cost-effective and how's it going to work as a practical sense on an orchard, how high does it have to fly, how fast does it have to go."
Drones also demonstrate their value in challenging winter conditions. In situations where traditional equipment like tractors aren't able to access crops due to muddy conditions.
The future looks promising for the horticulture industry as they embrace this new technology, Airborne Solutions drone pilot Scott Horgan said.
"It'll be a really different space in 10 years. I'll be surprised if drones aren't doing most of the spraying.
"Ten years from now, the industry will look significantly different."
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