Challenge
Corn farmers in Turkey’s Central Anatolia region, known as the “breadbasket of Turkey,” face significant pest challenges including Sesamia nonagrioides (Mediterranean corn borer), spider mites, and silverleaf whiteflies. Traditional tractor spraying causes up to 5% crop damage, valued at 125-250 EUR per hectare.
Solution
Haluk Yildiz, a forward-thinking farmer, adopted DJI Agras T40 drone technology in 2022 after learning about DJI Agriculture at a tradeshow. The 400-hectare operation was completed on July 29-30, 2023.
Results
The DJI Agras T40 with its Atomized Spray Technology, Adjustable Droplet Size (100-350 μm), Terrain Following, and Obstacle Sensing delivered exceptional results:
Key Achievements:
- Yield increased by 20% (15 tons/ha → 18 tons/ha)
- Chemical usage cut by 50% (900ml/ha → 450ml/ha)
- Annual profit increased by $2,000 ($10,000 → $12,000)
- Per-operation profit increased by $1,000 ($5,000 → $6,000)
- Spraying time reduced from hours to just 1 hour
- No crop damage (vs. up to 5% with tractors)
Customer Testimonial
“We are thrilled with how effective the Agras T40 was at spraying insecticide on our corn. This solution is much more effective when compared with spraying with irrigation system and we plan to continue using drones in future seasons. The drone penetrates very well, especially in pest control, and we are pleased with the results. It reduces the amount of pesticide we use and is also very effective in terms of time.”
— Haluk Yildiz, Corn Farmer
Spraying Parameters
- Application Rate: 10-20 L/ha
- Droplet Size: 100-350 μm
- Flight Speed: 25.2-28.8 m/s
- Route Spacing: 7-9 m
- Height Above Crop: 3-4 m