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Hey guys, 

We had perfect weather for our Maryborough QLD demo in March 2023. And a fantastic site that has cotton, cane and pineapple plantations. We demonstrated the T40 over cane , showing that there is no yield loss when using it  – no compaction or damage to the tops of the cane that you get with boom sprayers. Guests could also see the strong penetration into the cane thanks to the T40’s large coaxial rotors pushing the droplets down and circulating them around inside the cane for creating exceptional efficiency.

We also demonstrated targeted spot spraying (for weeds such as Giant Rats Tail) and also manual and manual plus modes for spraying the edges of the nearby dam.

And we demonstrated the Mavic 3 Multispectral, Mavic 3 Thermal, and had the T10 there and discussed its suitability for spraying isolated gullies and small patches of weed.  

Guests were able to see a good run down of Terra too thanks to the large LED screen and an hdmi out from the RC and the laptop.

Thanks to all for a great day out.   

Here is a quick spec comparison between the DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral and DJI Phantom 4 Multispectral. 

For sure, it is definitely an upgrade in almost all aspects.

	DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral	DJI Phantom 4 Multispectral
Release	2022	2019
Price in AU$	$7800	$7000
Take-off Weight	951g; 1,050g (max take-off weight)	1,487g
Foldable	Yes	No
RGB Camera	4/3 CMOS; 20MP	1/2.9" CMOS; 2MP
Multispectral Camera	4 Bands: Green, Red, Red Edge, Near Infrared;  1/2.8" CMOS; Each camera, 5MP:	5 Bands: Green, Red, Red Edge, Near Infrared, Blue; 1/2.9" CMOS; Each camera, 2MP
Max Flight Time	43 mins	27 mins
Operating Temperature	-10°C to 40°C	0°C to 40°C
Transmission Distance (CE)	DJI O3 Enterprise; 8km	DJI OcuSync; 5km
Controller	DJI RC Pro Enterprise smart controller with built-in screen	P4 SDK Remote Controller. No built-in screen: Additional smart device is required.
Modular	Yes	No
Multispectral Camera Bands	Four bands: Green (G): 560 ± 16 nm; Red (R): 650 ± 16 nm; Red Edge (RE): 730 ± 16 nm; Near infrared (NIR): 860 ± 26 nm;	Five bands: Green (G): 560 nm ± 16 nm; Red (R): 650 nm ± 16 nm; Red Edge (RE): 730 nm ± 16 nm; Near-infrared (NIR): 840 nm ± 26 nm Blue (B): 450 nm ± 16 nm
Image Sensor	1/2.8" CMOS; Effective pixels: 5MP	1/2.9” CMOS; Effective pixels 2.08MP
Lens	FOV: 73.91° (61.2° x 48.10°) Equivalent focal length: 25 mm Aperture: f/2.0 Focus: Fixed Focus	FOV (Field of View): 62.7° Focal Length: 5.74 mm (35 mm format equivalent: 40 mm), autofocus set at ∞ Aperture: f/2.2
Gain Range	1x-32x	1x-8x
Shutter Speed	Electronic Shutter: 1/30~1/12800 s	Electronic Global Shutter: 1/100 - 1/10000 s
Max Image Size	2592 x 1944	1600 x 1300
Image Format	TIFF	TIFF
Video Format	MP4 (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264)	N/A
Video Resolution	H.264 FHD: 1920 x 1080@30fps Video content: NDVI/GNDVI/NDRE	N/A
Max Video Bitrate	Stream: 60 Mbps	N/A
mage Sensor	4/3 CMOS; Effective Pixels: 20MP	1/2.9" CMOS; Effective Pixels: 2.08MP
Lens	FOV: 84° Equivalent focal length: 24 mm Aperture: f/2.8 to f/11 Focus: 1 m to ∞	FOV: 62.7° Focal Length: 5.74 mm (35 mm format equivalent: 40 mm), autofocus set at ∞ Aperture: f/2.2
ISO Range	100-6400	200 - 800
Shutter Speed	Electronic shutter: 8-1/8000 s Mechanical shutter: 8-1/2000 s	Electronic Global Shutter: 1/100 - 1/20000s
Max Image Size	5280 x 3956	1600 x 1300
Image Format (Visual)	JPEG/DNG (RAW)	JPEG
Video Resolution	H.264: 4K: 3840×2160@30fps FHD: 1920×1080@30fps	N/A
Max Video Bitrate	4K: 130Mbps FHD: 70Mbps	N/A
Video Format	MP4 (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264)	N/A
Flight Time	43 minutes	27 minutes
Max Speed	33.5 mph (Normal Mode); Flying forward: 46.9 mph, flying sideways: 44.7 mph, flying backwards: 42.5 mph (Sport mode)	31 mph (P-mode); 36 mph (58 kph) (A-mode)
Ascent Speed	6 m/s (Normal Mode) 8 m/s (Sport Mode)	6 m/s (automatic flight); 5 m/s (manual control)
Descent Speed	6 m/s (Normal Mode) 6 m/s (Sport Mode)	3 m/s
Operating Temperature	-10°C to 40°C	0°C to 40°C
Transmission System	DJI O3 Enterprise	DJI OcuSync
Transmission Distance (CE)	8km	5km

This is our final T30-centric spray drone demo day. We have just started shipping T40’s and expect to be focussing more on it for future demos. We used the DJI Agras T30, Phantom 4 RTK, and RTK mobile station, and Terra Ag. software.

Book a demo day here.

In this demo, we show the T30 flying from point to point, simulating automated spot spraying of individual blackberry clumps. At each point, the T30 does a 360-degree yaw (pirouette), in order to saturate each blackberry clump. Using the settings in the controller, Oscar has set how many liters of liquid to spray at each point, which the T30 executes based on yaw speed and flow rate.

Another successful spray drone demo at the Murrumbateman Field Days, NSW 2582.

Oscar and Nick had a very enjoyable couple of days showcasing spray drones at Murrumbateman. Plenty of interested growers who simply can't get their spray booms across the saturated ground.  The weather on the 2 days was perfect and the turnout was amazing - this was the first year the show has been back on since covid. 

Great to meet local families and discuss where drone technology is at the moment. 

After receiving a forecast of rain and thunder, we pushed on and were very grateful to Matt and Rachael for their hospitality in hosting the day and their generosity in putting on a BBQ for everyone.

With sections of rain that was so hard we had to stop our discussion in the shed, we carried on and were able to get some good T30 flying done, including some long runs over a saturated wheat field. We had a tonne of good questions to answer from a great turn out of 30+ people.  Thank you all for a very enjoyable day out, and once again to our generous hosts Matt and Rachael.

Fitting the spreader to the T30 airframe takes about 8 mins. Note those small black boxes are weight sensors that sit on the frame of the T30 and give constant readings as to the number of material left in the hopper.

Always great to see the kids taking a keen interest in the technology

The DJI Mobile station in the foreground (back item on the tripod), is used to bring the aircraft accuracy from approx. 1-2 meters to 10 cm.  The T30 carries an onboard GNSS RTK receiver that gathers data from satellites and uses the stationary mobile station as a fixed reference point to more accurately correct its location, in real-time as it flies.

Demonstrating the spreader in action. Note the T30 will happily fly in the rain as it's designed to be hosed down (regular garden hose pressure only) after each use.

Some excellent questions and comments came from the small groups that formed later in the day.

Demonstrating a simple field mission, spraying water on this wheat field. In this scenario, the T30 is having a walk in the park - and is capable of spraying / spreading 110 ha per day. Based on an application rate of up to 14L/ ha. 

Oscar, Ben, and Nick were very glad to be exhibiting, doing T30 demo flights and local FM radio network interviews during Agquip 2022 at Gunnedah (NSW). We thoroughly enjoyed talking to local growers and farmers, many of which discussed the challenges of not being able to get their boom rigs across the saturated and muddy ground. In addition to spray drones, a fair bit of interest also in thermal camera drones for spotting animals and the Air 2S for automated waypoint missions to scout the property (saved automated flights to check troughs, fences, animals, tanks, etc). Great to be meeting plenty of good folks and to be out and about in the wide open spaces and fresh air.

The DFH exhibiters stand was inside the agri-tech pavilion. 

Demonstrating the T30 in action (30-second video), and discussing the value of small and simple drones such as the DJI Mini 3 for getting a fast and clear aerial view of what's going on on your property at any time.  

Custom-made spray drone trailer. With IBC, chemical tank, and mixing tank. Accommodates 2 x spray drones. Designed for efficient workflow when out in the field (trying to shorten downtime / reduce the number of minutes per day that the drone/s are not spraying/spreading). 

Drones For Hire completed yet another full day of setup and training for a new T30 spray drone customer near Braidwood NSW.  

We find it’s more stable to update the aircraft firmware via a cable from the laptop directly into the T30 instead of doing it via the RC.

Updating the firmware on the charging station

Updating the firmware on the RC

The new SpaceX system is used for low latency, broadband internet - helps speed up the firmware update processes dramatically.

The DJI Ag management platform (free with your Agras) automatically logs all your flights, the amount sprayed/spread, the locations sprayed (map overlay), and various other useful data for you and for the land owners.

Just waiting for the charging station firmware update to complete

The T30 controller (RC) has a nice large bright screen, both internal and replaceable aux battery (wb37) for redundancy. An excellent and intuitive menu for settings management and Field Mission Planning, and an RTK dongle (grey device on top) for high accuracy spray area boundary planning.

The T20’s spreader (hopper) carries a load of rye grass seed. The hopper can carry 40kg of dry particles such as seeds, fertilizer, mouse baits, or e.g. flupropanate granule herbicide.

T30 spreading rye grass seeds as a demonstration to calibrate the spreader and create a template for the customer for future rye grass application flights

Preparing for the maiden flight!

Another happy customer – feeling prepared and ready to put the T30 to work – spraying chemical and spreading seeds. 

• Property too wet to get your spray rig across
• Weeds getting out of control on your steep sections and gullies
• Cost of diesel becoming an issue
• Tractor churning up your root systems / destabilising soil on wet banks

In many cases, our customers are reporting their DJI T30 spray drone is getting the same kill rate as a spray rig or helicopter but using at least 60% less liquid (chemical plus water). The T30 propellers push the vapour down and circulate it in and around the surface areas of the vegetation, including the vulnerable undersides. One customer was using a helicopter spraying 50L per ha on blackberry, his T30 achieved the same kill rate spraying 18L per ha. The drone was also more precise (less drift) and is always available (kept onsite).    

With La Niña predicted to continue for several more months, spray drones will become increasingly relevant for jobs like spraying Grazon Extra, spreading Super, seeding banks, or spreading mouse baits. The T30 spray drone will cover up to 70 ha per day in open flat terrain (e.g. oats, corn), 35 ha per day in more complex terrain.

Using a spray drone is probably easier than you may think - most of the time you are not actually flying it. Rather, you prepare a Field Plan – mark your spray area boundaries over a ‘Google map’, input the desired L/ha, and the drone will set its speed and fly the mission autonomously. When it runs out of liquid or dry particles the T30 will automatically come home for a refill and then go back and resume spraying/spreading from where it left off. See video tutorial.

Drones For Hire has been operating since 2013 and is an official DJI Ag. Dealer in Australia. Here is a 2 min video of a T30 demo we did in Golspie NSW.

And some images from a T30 setup we did on Kangaroo Island.

View T30 EOFY bundles. Or consider the T10 - the little brother of the T30, better suited for smaller properties, hobby farms or less frequent spraying.

Drones For Hire visited Kangaroo Island to help customers set up their DJI T30 spray drone and Phantom 4 RTK. A lot of vegetation has grown back since the island suffered extensive bush fires in 2020. Unfortunately, some of the regrowth is unwanted weeds. DFH assisted by providing a solution to enable the customer to map the hilly terrain (P4 RTK) and then use the T30 spray drone to spray weeds and increase the proportion of grazable land. 

Do you love drones too? Join us - turn your passion into a career!

Drones for Hire is looking for a full time (4 or 5 days/wk), staff member to join our small and growing team! You will be helping across many aspects of our business, with a central focus on managing the customer experience.

5 days/week, 3 days from our office in Lindfield, 2 days from home. Flexible to do variations of this.

You may be someone already in the drones industry who is looking for a secure full time position OR someone with a passion for drone tech and wanting to join a team of like minded people.

• love drone tech (bit of a tech geek like us)
• Super clear and professional communication skills  
• highly disciplined and dependable in how you work (manage checklists and routines etc)

Some key tasks:

• Taking inbound inquiries (answering the phone, company emails, job inquiries, chatbot messaging)
• understanding each customer’s needs such as help post their quote request or help advise which drone to purchase
• Order fulfilment process (sourcing, shipping, maintain the customer experience)
• Assist with marketing activities such as prepare promo emails
• Do drone demonstrations and learn more about the technical side of drones as you go

Must be self-motivated and keen to engross themselves in the business. We are looking for someone to stay and grow into a general manager role. In your reply, you may like to comment on this 2-min video https://youtu.be/fj0hpsJvrko

Please send your CV and response to [email protected] thank you.