Some facts given during the Aerial Spraying Meeting in Stanfilco’s Dapco Hangar, Farm4, Panabo, Davao del Norte.
Lecturers
Victor Ursula-Field Operations Mgr, Ally Muniz- R&D Mgr
GPS practice for Aerial Spraying has been with DOLE since 1996
Plane
- Stanfilco has10 Planes (1400-1800 li/plane load)
- 20min to discharge load (average)
- 75 hectares/trip or 160-220 has/hour
- 24 meters (ave swathe of plane)
- bleeding system(pilot controlled for emergency unloading)
Martignani Truck
- Stanfilco has 54 units (4,200 liter tank in 10 wheeler truck)
- 15 hectares /hr @50 liters/ha(delivery) at 6km/hr
- 24 hour availability(usually 4pm > to as needed)
Controls
- 50 meter buffer zone
- no aerial spray if windmeter registers a reading of 3mph or 4.8kph (to ensure spraydrift is contained within 10 meters of boundaries)
- no pilot override of GPS system in plane
- 3 hour spray window(AM)and temp not to exceed 84F or 29C
- imminent rain
Altitude of Plane Above Sea Level(ASL)or above Banana Canopy
- Stanfilco 3-4 meters above the banana canopy
- Tadeco ave is 7 meters above the canopy
- Standard range – 3-7 meters above the canopy.
Both the Sprayplane and Martignani Trucks are equipped with GPS, nozzle controls (regulate flow) and auto shut-off systems. The load for the area to be sprayed is calibrated and mapped by the GPS computer and a print-out is made. Accordingly, there is no possibility of excess delivery. The target flow system records the delivery and shuts off automatically above areas not to be applied. The data is transferred to and from the Plane and Martignani truck by the use of memory cards.
Cost
GPS – $28,000 – Class 1 and for some old GPS units in DOLE -$6000
Mixing tanks for pesticides.
Sprayplane of DOLE Stanfilco . Aerial Spray demo (water and dye only).
All sprayloads must be fully applied and unloaded before landing.
Martignani Sprayer(10 wheeler truck with boomsprayer).
Victor Ursula of Stanfilco lectures attendees from CPAP, CropLife, FPA and UPLB.
GPS Equipment