BRIN Develops Special Drone Blades to Facilitate Spraying of Shallots

JAKARTA – The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has developed a drone with an innovative blade design for farmers. This drone is specifically designed for spraying shallot crops.

This innovation was developed as an alternative solution so farmers can water and fertilize efficiently without damaging the crops. BRIN explained that this technology was developed based on a need in the Humbang Hasundutan Food Estate area.

"When tested in shallot fields, the wind from conventional drones was too strong and could potentially damage the fragile shallot leaves," said Lidia Kristina Panjaitan, a researcher at the BRIN Horticulture Research Center, as quoted on Wednesday, October 29.

After realizing that the drone they were using could damage the crops, Lidia's team began designing a safer blade design. In phased research since 2022, the team has successfully developed a blade design based on the NACA 4415 airfoil.

This design uses a hexa-rotor configuration with 8 blades per propeller. This design can produce a gentle airflow while still having a substantial lift of up to 10 liters.

"Simulations and field tests have shown that this design produces a more even wind distribution, reduces the effects of downward air pressure, and is safe for shallot plants," said Lidia.

BRIN has set the safest flight height at two meters above crops. Compared to manual methods that take two to three days to spray one hectare of land, BRIN's drone sprayer has proven highly efficient.

This drone can complete watering of one hectare of land in just 10 minutes. The drone can cover two to three hectares of land with a single spraying fluid charge.

This drone, with its blade design, was patented last October. To improve the drone's functionality, BRIN plans to design a nozzle and spraying system that matches the viscosity of the liquid organic fertilizer developed by BRIN's Biofertilizer Research Group.