DJI Agricultural Drone Solutions
DJI has now become a substantial contributor to the ag-tech sector over the last few years. Their agricultural crop spraying drones and seed-spreading drones portfolio began with the introduction of the DJI Agras MG-1 Series, followed by the DJI Agras T16 & DJI Agras T20 drones. Each release offered an evolutionary upgrade in technology and payload carrying capacity.
DJI quickly collated everything they learnt over the years and refined their spraying drone technology to introduce the DJI Agras T10 and DJI Agras T30 in early 2021, and then releasing the DJI Agras T40 twelve months later in 2022. All 3 drones offer both spraying and spreading applications with unparalleled versatility that is precise and efficient. The T10 has an 8L liquid payload capacity, the T30 has a 30L capacity and the T40 has a 40L capacity.
Traditional aerial methods of spraying using helicopters or planes introduce a commonplace issue, namely, spray drift and lack of precision. Fixed-wing manned aircraft and helicopters generally operate at high speeds and altitudes which is why spray drift occurs and makes it difficult for use in precise applications. However, the use of DJI Agras drones combats this issue as they are able to hover within just 3.5 metres above the ground and operate at lower speeds to improve the accuracy and precision of a spraying application with the added integration of RTK (real-time kinematics) and survey-grade mapping technology for centimetre-level spraying accuracy.
DJI Agras T10 (left) and DJI Agras T30 (right)
DJI Agriclture’s latest innovation, the DJI Agras T40, has been a great success and has revolutionised the agriculture industry. The main advantages of the T40, in comparison to both the T10 and T30, are that the spraying tank has a larger capacity of 40 litres and the spreading tank has a capacity 50 kilograms. This is extremely important as it allows the drone to hold more liquid which means that more area is covered in one flight. The flight time is also increased with the T30 having a maximum flight time of 10 minutes compared to the T40 having a maximum flight time of 12 minutes. This increase in flight time may not appear significant, however, the extra two minutes allow you to cover more farmland per flight. This improvement in efficiency is also furthered due to the increased maximum flight speed of the aircraft, in addition to its maximum flow rate. The T40 has a maximum transmission range of 5km range compared to the T30 having only 3km. Additionally, the DJI Agras T40 drone uses a different spraying system from the T10 and T30 drone. The T40 drone utilises dual centrifugal atomising discs, whereas the T10 and T30 both use hydraulic Teejet nozzles. Centrifugal atomising discs offer improved droplet consistency and allow for finer droplet sizes for improved penetration. This also allows for the spray rate to be quickly modified which is known as a controlled droplet application (a.k.a CDA). The T10 and T30 offer a spray rate of 3L/min and 8L/min respectively. The Agras T40 has a spray rate of 12L/min through the introduction of new magnetic drive impeller pumps.
Due to the spraying system innovation, and improved payload capacity, the DJI T40 is able to cover more ground per flight and at a higher rate in comparison to the T10 and T30.
The table below shows an in-depth comparison of the Agras T10, T30, and T40 drones:
| Agras T10 | Agras T30 | Agras T40 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Efficiency | 6.67 hectares/hour | 16 hectares/hour | 21.3 hectares/hour |
| Spray Tank Volume | 10L | 30L | 40L |
| Maximum Spray Rate | 3 L/min | 8 L/min | 12 L/min |
| Total Weight (without battery) | 12.2kg | 26.4kg | 38kg |
| Maximum Takeoff Weight | 26.8kg | 66.5kg (spraying) 78kg (spreading) |
90kg (spraying) 101kg (spreading) |
| Maximum Flight Time | 9 minutes | 10 minutes | 12 minutes |
| Maximum Operating Speed | 7 m/s | 7 m/s | 10 m/s |
| Spraying System | 2 diaphragm pumps electromagnetic valve |
2 plunger pumps electromagnetic valve |
magnetic drive impeller pump centrifugal valve |
| Spray Width | 3m - 5.5m (1.5m - 3m above crops) | 4m - 9m (1.5m - 3m above crops) | 11m (3m above crops) |
| Droplet Size | 130 - 300μm | 130 - 265μm | 50 - 300μm |
Dimensions |
1958mm × 1833mm × 553mm (arms unfolded, propellers unfolded） 1232mm × 1112mm × 553mm (arms unfolded, propellers folded） 600mm × 665mm × 580mm (arms folded） |
2858mm × 2685mm × 790mm (arms unfolded, propellers unfolded） 2030mm × 1866mm × 790mm (arms unfolded, propellers folded） 1170mm × 670mm × 857mm (arms folded） |
2800mm × 3150mm × 820mm (arms unfolded, propellers unfolded） 1580mm × 1930mm × 820mm (arms unfolded, propellers folded） 1150mm × 760mm × 870mm (arms folded） |
FPV Camera |
1 in front and 1 in back View Angle: Horizontal: 82° and Vertical: 129° Resolution: 1280×720 15-30 fps |
1 in front and 1 in back View Angle: Horizontal: 82° and Vertical: 129° Resolution: 1280×720 15-30 fps |
1 in front View Angle: 150° Resolution: 1280×720 15-30 fps |
| Battery Model | 9500mAh - 51.8V Up to 1000 Cycles |
29000mAh - 51.8V Up to 1000 Cycles |
30000mAh - 52.2V Up to 1500 Cycles |
| Remote Controller | Smart Controller | Smart Controller | RC Plus |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 | IP67 |
There are many advantages of using DJI Agras drones in comparison to alternative methods such as ground spraying systems. There is a significant reduction in carbon emissions. Commonly tractors are used to complete a spray application that consumes a high amount of diesel. Using Agras drones this will significantly reduce the carbon footprint. Furthermore, water usage will also be reduced. This is because the drones use low-capacity spraying technology which can save 44 litres per hectare compared to that of ground spraying systems.
DJI Agras T40 Specification Overview
DJI Agras drones offer both spraying and spreading solutions that are able to support a range of use cases. The DJI Agras T10 is an excellent aircraft for targeted weed management for smaller fields and it does not require the same CASA licensing as the DJI Agras T30 and DJI Agras T40 when operating on your own property. For both spraying and spreading in terms of larger operations, the T30 and T40 are both great solutions.
We offer a variety of curated drone spraying and spreading bundles. You can view these agricultural drone packages below:
We encourage you to give us a call to have an in-depth discussion about which DJI Agras drone and spraying drone package would be most suitable for your needs. It is also important to understand various licensing requirements, maintenance costs, setup costs, and other variables to consider when purchasing a spraying drone solution. Please feel free to speak to one of our agricultural drone experts through the submission form below, or call us on 0242583489.
Prisma Technologies is Australia’s leading agricultural drone expert and a certified DJI Agras Instructor, so you can rest assured that you are getting the best advice, price, and after-sales support on DJI Agras drones.
