Helicopters at Work: Aerial Application

Visit HAI member, Aspen Helicopters Inc., whose agricultural services division performs aerial application missions throughout Southern California. Helicopters are used to apply a variety of liquid-based products including water, pesticide, fertilizer, and seed solutions to help farmers grow and protect their crops.

The pilot uses a specialized on-board GPS to track his progress and see which areas of a field have been or still need to be treated. The helicopter is particularly well suited for this job due to it's maneuverability in confined spaces and its ability to land on site. This means that its payload can be refilled or swapped out without having to fly back to an airport or runway.

Aerial application is precise work that demands a lot of control, experience, and planning. Low-level flying is uniquely exciting but something best left to trained professionals in controlled environments, so instead, enjoy it vicariously through this video.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Helicopter
• Bell 206
• Jetranger
• Spraying
• Agriculture

[debonairuav2011]

Respond to this video...  There is a reason why Japan and some other progressive nations have already adopted unmanned measures to traditional means. I understand its your business, but I am just pointing out the trend that is just starting to be followed. Have you seen and RMAX helicopter spray. Unmanned Systems are the future. Give it a thought, you may be glad you did. Cheers.

[debonairuav2011]

@CropDusterMan I understand, with unmanned systems, payload is the main drawback, thus the ability to cover hundreds of acres per hour. however, for the price of one helicopter of your size, you can purchase possibly hundreds of those. Imagine a swarm of ten of those helicopters, flying autonomously and navigating pre-configured waypoints spraying with precision. Imagine taking away risk for pilots, imagine savings in fuel consumption, and imagine automation.

[CropDusterMan]

@debonairuav2011

Are you actually serious? Real Ag aircraft, both helicopters and airplanes, flown by highly trained pilots are capable of carrying up to hundreds of gallons of crop protection products and are able to treat hundreds of acres per hour. This DT80 toy would be great for a backyard garden perhaps, but real ag aircraft are in the business of helping farmers achieve sustainability and high yields.

[CropDusterMan]

@FunOnTheFarm7

Often times, following rain periods, ground sprayers can't get into the fields to spray. Also, a ground sprayer takes much longer to cover the same area as an ag aircraft, and if pest populations are high, significant economic damage can be done to the crops which affect the farmers yield. An ag aircraft can treat hundreds of acres per hour very efficiently, which means the job is done quicker, and less time effecting operations in the field such as irigation etc.

[helicoptertaxi]

Nice work...

[debonairuav2011]

Costly Solution, lets think small and lets think automated. Try running a search query for DT80 Helicopter here on YouTube. It may just make better sense.

[danbothecol]

your the man rob. every time ive gone up up with you has been absolutley incredible. keep up the good work

[FlyBoySteveeG]

looks like the helocopter does a good job until you see 3:04 and all the fines in the vortices thrown up in the air 60ft.. not good..

[ChrisHansen1114]

@FunOnTheFarm7 time is money?

[FunOnTheFarm7]

why is this any better than a conventional sprayer?