The Smart Sprayer: A Breakthrough in Precision Agriculture
The CERBERUS smart sprayer is one of the project’s most innovative developments, representing a leap forward in precision agriculture. Designed by UPV and built by CLEYFER, this advanced machine is going to revolutionize how treatments are applied to crops, ensuring sustainability and efficiency.
A Design Built for Precision
The smart sprayer combines robust engineering with advanced AI algorithms, enabling it to adapt spray rate to complex agricultural landscapes. It is tailored for use in citrus groves, olive orchards, and vineyards, adapting flow and pressure to the unique characteristics of each crop in real time.
Using real-time data from sensors and AI systems, the cloud platform will compose prescription maps identifying specific areas affected by pests and applying treatments only where needed at optimum rate and combining six independent sectors. This level of precision reduces chemical usage, protecting both the environment and the crops themselves.
Hydraulic Testing and Field Trials
Before being deployed in the field, the smart sprayer undergoes rigorous hydraulic testing to ensure its reliability and effectiveness. These tests verify that the machine can operate under varying conditions while maintaining accuracy in both pressure and flowrate at nozzle level.
Field trials, conducted at UPV in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV), demonstrate the sprayer’s ability to handle real-world challenges. Initial results show significant reductions in pesticide use, coupled with improved pest control outcomes.
Benefits for Farmers and the Environment
The smart sprayer offers numerous advantages. For farmers, it reduces costs by optimizing the use of inputs like pesticides and water. For the environment, it minimizes chemical drift and runoff, supporting biodiversity by targeting only the affected plants.
This groundbreaking innovation exemplifies how technology can create a win-win scenario, improving productivity while promoting sustainability.
