Drones SP Program begins registration of companies

The “Drones SP” program begins today to register companies to join the initiative, on a permanent basis, whose objective is to improve technologies for applying chemical and biological agricultural pesticides through drones. The initiative brings together the Coopercitrus Credicitrus Foundation, linked to one of the largest agricultural cooperatives in the country, Coopercitrus, based in Bebedouro, São Paulo, and the Engineering and Automation Center (CEA), of the Agronomic Institute (IAC), in the city of Jundiaí, also in the state.

An entity of the Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply of the State of SP, the CEA-IAC and the Coopercitrus Credicitrus Foundation inform that they have opened a testing and experimentation field for agricultural drones, approved by official bodies, in Bebedouro, aiming to concentrate SP Drone research .

According to scientific researcher Hamilton Ramos, coordinator of Drones SP and director of CEA-IAC, there is an initial expectation of five to ten companies joining in the first year. Ramos envisions adding to Drones SP the same business model as other CEA-IAC initiatives, such as the IAC-Quepia program, aimed at improving the quality of agricultural PPE and made possible over 17 years ago with private resources from quota holders.

“The trials of the Drones SP program have already begun and the first results are promising”, highlights Ramos. “Our goal is to bring together a group of companies in the pesticide sector and agribusiness in general, capable of generating resources for continuous investment in research, through the acquisition of equal shares of participation”, he reinforces.

According to the researcher, companies that join Drones SP will have access to all the data and conclusions of the research carried out by the program, among other benefits, including training sessions on Field Days.

“Drones SP focuses on application technology and the effective and safe use of equipment on properties. It covers the concepts of spray volume, coverage rate, droplet size, climatic conditions, product drift, input compatibility and others”, says Ramos. “This is an emerging, revolutionary technology, but with many points still to be clarified regarding effectiveness and economic viability in properties”, concludes Ramos.