Facing dreaded pest disease caused by fall armyworms, XAG is among the first to introduce fully autonomous drones in some of the most affected countries, such as Zambia, South Africa, Vietnam and China, to improve the control efficacy that has originally been limited to manual spraying. XAG has discovered that in the worst hit Africa and Asia, the absence of smart devices, the unique natural habits of fall armyworm and farmers’ lack of professional expertise have resulted in a rapid large-scale infestations.
Fall armyworms are a highly destructive pest species native to tropics and sub-tropics of the Americas, they have aggressively invaded more than 100 countries and devastated millions of hectares of crops since 2016. As for Africa alone, the annual yield loss of the 12 maize-producing countries is estimated at USD 4.6 billion in 2018.
Fixing the ‘Crop-devouring Bug’ with Drone
Chemical control remains one of the most widely deployed methods to contain the spread of fall armyworms. However, most farmers usually resort to traditional sprayers and, in many cases, find the effect disappointing while exposing themselves to the hazard of pesticide poisoning. Manual spraying not only fails to meet the demand for a quick, emergent control over the ravenous, fast-moving fall armyworm, but also makes it difficult for pesticides to contact the hidden caterpillars because of uneven hand sprays.
Given the situation, XAG’s precision UAS spraying solution can suppress the encroachment of fall armyworm in time, through effective large-scale emergency action involving minimal physical labour. Drone swarm operation can besiege the infested croplands and kill the pests en mass within a large area to reduce moth migration. The drone can safely operate after sunset, working on the nocturnal pests.
A special atomisation spraying mechanism, features micron-level droplets and powerful downdraft, is designed to achieve uniform applications of ultralow-volume pesticides. Both sides of the leaves and the central part of crops, where the pests conceal themselves, can be more precisely targeted. This not only increases fall armyworm’s exposure to chemicals but also cuts down 30% pesticide use and 90% agricultural water.
