🍇Precision Drone Spraying for Vineyards: Stopping Powdery Mildew Before It Reaches the Bottle
Precision in Every Drop. Care in Every Flight.
In Stellenbosch, Robertson, or the Breede River Valley, your vines tell a story of terroir, care, and climate. But powdery mildew doesn’t respect that story—it spreads in humid spring conditions, ruining berry quality and forcing winemakers to use more sulphur.
And if your vineyard is on a slope or has tight row spacing, tractors can’t get close without damaging roots or compacting soil.
The result? Inconsistent spray coverage → higher disease pressure → lower wine quality.
But there’s a better way—one that’s gentler on the land and smarter for your bottom line.
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Why Vineyards Need Precision
Powdery mildew thrives at 20–28°C with high humidity—common in Western Cape springs. Missing a 48-hour spray window can lead to complete cluster infection.
Traditional sprayers:
– Crush cover crops between rows
– Compact soil → reduced water infiltration
– Miss the underside of leaves where mildew starts
– Can’t operate during wet conditions (when treatment is most urgent)
For organic or sustainable wineries, this is a crisis.
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The Drone Solution: Gentle, Accurate, Fast
Our DJI Agras T50 delivers:
âś… RTK-guided flight between rows as narrow as 1.8m
âś… Fine mist nozzles for sulphur, potassium bicarbonate, or biofungicides
✅ Zero soil contact—preserving cover crops and soil structure
âś… Rapid deployment after rain or humidity spikes
> Trial data from a Robertson vineyard (2024): Drone-sprayed blocks showed 76% less mildew incidence vs. tractor-sprayed controls—with 35% less sulphur used.
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Pricing That Fits the Wine Farm Budget
– Standard fungicide spray: R200–R280/ha
– Organic/biocontrol applications: R250–R320/ha
– NDVI stress mapping (M30T): R120/ha
Compare to tractor costs: R300–R450/ha (plus soil rehab, fuel, labour).
For a 30-hectare estate, that’s R3,000–R5,000 saved per spray cycle—while improving grape quality.
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Beyond Spraying: Intelligence for Better Wine
We also offer:
– Thermal scouting to detect irrigation leaks or vine stress
– NDVI mapping to identify low-vigour zones before harvest
– Post-harvest sanitation with ozone water (O3MET partnership)
Because great wine starts with healthy vines—and healthy soil.
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Ready to Elevate Your Terroir?
If your vineyard values soil health, precision, and sustainability, drone spraying isn’t just an option—it’s the next step.
Sources: ARC Infruitec Viticulture Reports, Wineland Magazine (2024), DJI Agras T50 Viticulture Guidelines