Un drone equipped for olive tree treatments. It is the prototype that Confagricoltura Veneto and Verona will present to Agricultural Fair of the city of Verona as tech solution to make targeted and surgical interventions on the local hills during the growing season.
Developed in collaboration with Celery, the interregional olive producers association, could be of particular use to olive growers, as explained director Enzo Gambin: “Given that to date, plant protection products cannot be given without authorization by air, the drone could potentially be of great use in phytosanitary defence, as it is capable of intervening in poorly accessible areas such as those of Lake Garda, where with agricultural vehicles it is difficult or dangerous due to the risk of overturning. Furthermore – adds the director of Aipo – the drone is capable of implementing a more targeted defense, carrying out the intervention in the areas that most need it and excluding those that are not subject to infection or insect infestation, such as the olive tree fly. The aerial law enforcement activity will lead to fewer releases of active substances into the environment and will not alter the presence of insects or other useful organisms, also avoiding drifting of the product due to the wind. There will be also a saving of agricultural means, but it will help skilled labor to drive the device. Finally, the drone will be used to make a diagnosis of the state of health of the plants, with shots and images that will allow us to understand if the development is optimal and there are pathologies in progress".
The drone for the olive tree is one of the innovative solutions that are part of the project “FA&AF. The agriculture of the future and functional foods: a challenge for research and the relaunch of the Veneto territory", focused on consolidating crop productivity and improving the functional properties of foods. The project sees the regional innovative network as the leader Innosap, of which they are part Veneto Confagriculture e Verona, which brings together companies interested in the development of sustainable and precision agriculture, with the participation of University of Verona and Padua.
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