The research focused on data from more than 400 aerial applications conducted in 14 states to evaluate the safety of aerial applications

The University of Brasília (UnB, in the Brazilian acronym) expected to present the results of a study on Wednesday (20th) indicating the safety of aerial applications on crops. The research evaluated data from more than 400 applications made by airplanes in deposition strip tests in fourteen states, covering all regions of the country. Entitled Drift and Safety Strip in Agricultural Aerospraying, the work was conducted by the team from the Center for Studies in Ag Aviation (NEAAGRI) and considered deposition tests conducted between 2018 and 2023.

The presentation, November 20th, at 2 pm (Brasilia time), on the SINDAG channel on YouTube

According to the coordinator of NEAAGRI and vice-director of the School of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine (FAV) at UnB, Maisa Santos Joaquim, the study considered a “consistent and very good primary database for analysis”. In addition to a “dense bibliographic review of international studies and national research.”

Among more than 400 applications evaluated, the drift of each strip applied to the crop was on average within twenty meters. With only one case in which it reached the maximum of forty-five meters verified in the study. Far below the safety ranges provided by law for ag aviation, which are 250 and 500 meters from homes, animals and environmentally sensitive areas.

DATABASE

The primary database that Maisa refers to came from highly specialized technical audits, where aircraft evaluated precisely to verify the quality of the applications. In this case, these are tests conducted at the request of those who hire agricultural aviation, agricultural aviation companies or even producers who have their own aircraft.

These studies evaluate each aircraft in several passes over targets with sensitive markers that allow the electronic reading of each drop of the application. Allowing the fine adjustment of each nozzle or atomizer on the application bar. With a focus precisely on avoiding product losses and ensuring ideal coverage on each plant in the crop.

According to the coordinator of NEAAGRI/UnB, the next step is to seek support from the sector for a study by the university itself, involving agricultural aviation operators and rural producers. Now with a focus on going to the field to generate models that allow, for example, to accurately predict the degree of drift for application conditions.

“Is it possible to control drift? Yes, we have confirmed that it is. Now, we need to continue this partnership, with the availability of producers and operators who can help us develop our own methodology to adjust the variables so that drift can be calculated. This is what we want: ‘well, if I have wind speed x, if I have aircraft height y, I can say with this, before boarding the plane ‘with these variables, I will have x meters of drift’”, points out Maisa.

IMPORTANT

Drift, which is the lateral movement of the product in the applied strip, is a phenomenon that occurs in any type of application, whether by plane, drone, tractor or even with backpack sprayers. It depends on the conditions of ambient temperature, relative humidity and wind speed. And the quality of the application also depends on its management: there is good drift, which occurs within the crop and allows the product to reach the lower parts of the plant and under the leaves (for example). And dangerous drift, which is when the product escapes from the crop – causing loss of product, irregular coverage of the plants against pests and, in more serious cases, damage to neighboring areas.