APPLICATION INSIGHT, LLC — Department of Agriculture SBIR Phase I: 8.13

Description

This project's goal is to reduce spray drift from aerial applications while at the same timesignificantly increase the efficiency and profitability of aerial applicators. The project willachieve this objective through development of a scalable commercial-scale high pressurechemical delivery system designed to mount on most any piloted fixed or rotary-wing aircraftand potentially larger Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. High-pressure sprays used in aerial applicationconditions can meaningfully reduce formation of small droplets that would be prone to drift. Thesystem will give an applicator superior control over droplet size by increasing the capability todeliver spray pressures significantly higher than anything currently found in any of the currentarray of commercially available aerial spray application systems. Even at full-pressure thesystem will be able to maintain desired flow ranges appropriate to the desired application rates ofmost if not all aerial agricultural and forestry spray applications. Pump modules will be typicalflow for a boom section rather than the whole boom. Modules would be matched to the sizeaircraft ideally 2-4 modules to achieve the necessary application rate on most aircraft. Thisincreased swath precision will improve ability to cover a whole field including "clean-up" onedges and improve the effectiveness of existing wind-swath compensation. Most importantly itwill allow application in a wider range of meteorological conditions and at higher speeds whichwill significantly impact the marginal profitability per hour and the number of tach hours a yearthat a pilot can be applicating. These improvements could improve the profitability of US aerialapplicators by an extra $150 million or more in increased annual revenue at little additionalmarginal cost and tens of millions of dollars of added productivity with an increase in ourcollective health and safety by improving the proper placement of aerially-applied agriculturalcrop protection materials. This system will positive policy benefits as Registrants may be morewilling to pursue aerial application on a wider range of pesticide labels if accurate placement canbe better assured and EPA may be more willing to work with them as the risk is reduced. Thepotential market opportunity for this technology as a commercial product is substantial. It isestimated that half of the ~4000 aerial application aircraft in the US could find enough benefit tojustify investment in this technology upgrade. We estimate that each application aircraft woulduse an average of 2-3 of the modules per vessel creating a $100 to 150 million dollar potentialmarket in the US alone. Aerial application is common in Canada Central and South America theCaribbean Africa Australia the Philippines and New Zealand. The total global market for thishardware is likely closer to $250-300 million dollars.