Innovative Case IH Farm Equipment Sprayer Drones to Launch in Brazil

Case IH Farm Equipment Expanding

Case IH has announced the pre-launch of its first sprayer drone, set to complement the company's existing popular farm equipment portfolio. The new drone, which will be available in 30-litre and 70-litre models, will be imported and distributed across Brazil through the company's extensive network of retailers. Pricing details are expected to be released upon the official launch. 

“The pre-launch marks this important partnership with one of the largest and most renowned companies in the spraying drone segment, XAG. In addition to the quality of the manufacturer, there is Case IH’s approval, which means all our quality standards and after-sales support,” commented Christian Gonzalez, vice president of Case IH for Latin America. 

The Case IH Sprayer Drone is anticipated to be available to Brazilian customers in the second half of this year through the brand’s dealer network. Plans are also in place to expand distribution to the rest of Latin America and the Pacific regions, where demand is high. 

Agricultural Sprayer Drones Still Legally Unavailable in Canada 

Despite the scramble by many agricultural companies to get behind drone seeding and spraying, the practice is illegal in Canada. Specifically, it is illegal to fly an unmanned aerial vehicle to apply crop protection products—that is, pesticides.  

Jason Deveau, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, explains that the process of changing this law is likely to take another 2 years. Deveau spoke at the Ontario Agricultural Conference to shed light on why that is: 

“When a helicopter is spraying it’s at full velocity, and there’s no downwash or downward wind. But if you ever watch a helicopter spraying, once it reaches full speed, the spray just pours out behind like a plane or like Superman’s cape. On the other hand, rotary drones, no matter how fast they fly, always create a downwash and that’s going to affect how droplets move.” 

Downwash is the aerodynamic effect that controls the spray pattern of water or liquid product as it exists the sprayer drone. The speed, altitude, weight and pitch of the drone, as well as its nozzle and the consistency of the liquid, all affect downwash. That’s what concerns Canadian policymakers—the unpredictability of the downwash. If using pest-control products or fertilizers, an uneven spray pattern could pose a potential health and safety risk.  

Primarily aimed at small and medium-sized farmers, the sprayer drone offers a versatile solution that can complement or even replace traditional sprayers in certain situations. Theoretically, drone sprayers could be used in cooperation with compact tractors and basic farming equipment to support a traditional family farm.  

One of the key advantages of the Case IH Sprayer Drone is its ability to operate in areas with irregular topography, where traditional, heavier sprayers might struggle. The drone features autonomous flight plans and requires minimal oversight, with only one person needed to monitor operations, change batteries and refuel. 

“We see that the drone market is expanding greatly in the country, so it is another option to meet the needs of our customers. We currently offer three lines of self-propelled sprayers, one of which is specific to the needs of sugarcane fields,” added Gonzalez. 

Case IH's farm equipment like the new sprayer drone represents a significant advancement in agricultural technology, promising enhanced efficiency and accessibility for farmers across diverse landscapes and farming practices. We’re looking forward to seeing how sprayer drones change the industry in Alberta and Canada!