Project management

Sharing and coordination of activities among the project Partners. UNITO must ensure the monitorin of activity progress to achieve the project objectives. Additionally, UNITO must ensure compliance with administrative requirements. UNITO will monitor the progress of activities and review the obtained results.

Development of the innovative UAV-spray system

• Activity 1:

Hydraulic circuit customisation of the UAV-spray system and testing.

Realization of the hydraulic circuit and its testing, and evaluation of the pump energy performance.

• Activity 2:

Development of narrow spray pattern nozzles for targeted UAV spray application.

Realization of nozzle prototypes (conventional and low drift) with a narrow spray angle for a targeted spray distribution.

• Activity 3:

Field test of operational parameters.

Testing the customized UAV-spray system adjusted combined with different operational parameters under field conditions. The selection of proper operational parameters is necessary to maximise canopy spray deposition while minimising off-target losses.

Selection of plant protection products (PPPs) for UAV-spray application

• Activity 1:

Definition of the crop protection strategy based on UAV-spray applications.

Definition of a theoretical vineyards protection strategy against downy mildew.

• Activity 2:

Optimization of the analytical methods.

Selection and optimization of the most suitable analytical method.

• Activity 3:

Evaluation of the Physical Mode of Action (PhMoA) of selected PPPs.

PPPs selected in Activity 1 will be evaluated for their PhMoA, in particular for their preventative activity and to determine whether the PPP amount reaching different positions in the vine canopy, when sprayed with UAV-spray system, is enough to control downy mildew disease according to the different PhMoA of tested PPPs.

Evaluation of vineyard protection strategy by means of UAV-spray application at farm-scale level

• Activity 1:

Efficacy evaluation of the vineyard protection strategy.

Evaluation of biological efficacy of selected PPP/s applied using the customized UAV-spray system (whole growing season)

• Activity 2:

Evaluation of the spray efficacy: mass balance approach.

Quantification of the PPPs sprayed on the target and off-target spray losses.

Suggestion of a crop protection strategy for spray applications through UAVs according to the project results

• Activity 1:

Booklet to summarise the main results of the project.

To produce a booklet, intended as preliminary guidelines, to summarise the main results of the whole project underlining the pros and cons of UAV-spray applications in steep slope vineyards.