Drones in agriculture is fast increasing as farmers and growers embrace this game-changing technology.
Complete tasks cheaper, faster and when you want gives huge advantages in managing your operation with less reliance on outside sources.
This leads to more free time, reduced compliance overhead, less reliance on a physical workforce and decreased impact on your land.
Getting the Job Done
A drone or robot means you can get jobs done when you need them to be done, not when the helicopter or contractor can fit you in. This means no waiting around for equipment or people when your farm is under pressure.
Less Human Input
You only need to set up your farm or orchard once for the drone. Self flying and accurate positioning means knowing exactly where to work, giving less room for accidents and less reliance on human labour.
Do Jobs that Others Can't
Drones can access more places where traditional spray equipment cannot. They are not limited by terrain or slopes and can spray over wet ground without getting stuck. No more physical spraying/spreading.
Aerolab offers a step by step concierge service guiding you from before placing an order all the way to supporting you once you are set up. Our included services with your purchase ensures you get flying faster than anyone else.
1. Learn and Research
Aerolab offers the best practical knowledge on spray drones in the country. We will help you identify where a drone will best fit in your business and also help you understand and decide what you need to get started.
2. Place an Order
Once you are ready, Aerolab will place your drone order based around your requirements from our manufacturer, where your order will be built and shipped. Aerolab will test, certify, and set up your drone so it's ready to go on delivery.
3. Get Certified
While your drone is getting ready, Aerolab will help you obtain the right certifications and also guide you along your CAA Part 102 exposition. Dont worry about CAA delays - have our own exposition you can fly under until yours is ready.
4. Delivery and Training
Once you are certified and the drone is ready, we will come to you and give you training on our specific gear. Together, we will go through how to set up a job and operate your drone, so you are confident to get flying on the simple systems.
5. Ongoing Support
Along with helping you get up to speed after delivery, Aerolab are also certified distributors for all the drones we sell. We carry parts locally and have certified engineers and technicians to work on your drone. We will provide the after-sale service to keep your drone running.
Setup
Depending on the drone, a service includisve package starts from $45000. Most commercial customers will purchase a package between $80,000 to $110,000 that includes extra gear to keep for your drone. If you are starting off you will also need to have a means of transport, and general chemical handling gear.
Returns
While we don't dictate rates, current conservative hourly pricing for a single independent spray drone operator is around $350/hour + a fixed call out fee of around $350. COnsidering you are working 8 hours a day and get 100 days spraying in a year, your gross returns before expenses will be above $300,000.
Integrate
You may want to start off your business with just a drone, ute, and basic water setup if you want to keep initial costs down. The great thing about a drone business is that it is easily scalable. As you grow and your jobs get larger and more profitable, you can easily expand your operational capacity in different ways, such as adding more gear or getting a dedicated drone trailer with mixing tanks and water storage.
