Rauch will show what is believed to be the first drone capable of spreading fertiliser at Agritechnica next week. Based on the eight-rotor Agronator Octocopter, which has a 4m diameter and weighs 80kg, Rauch has fitted it with an electrically-powered Draco spreading unit and 50-litre hopper (max 30kg capacity).
Called the CultiCopter, and claimed to be superior to all ground-based autonomous agricultural robots currently on the market, the system has already been evaluated with slug pellets, small seeds and small amounts of high-quality fertilisers. The two lithium-polymer accumulators provide enough energy for up to 40 minutes in the air. Recharging time is a claimed 20 minutes.
