Tom Wolf traveled to Winnipeg in the middle of February to give a talk on the pros and cons of spraying crops with drones.
Tag Archives Tom Wolf
Many cons, few pros found with drone spraying
A spray specialist worries about swath width, spray drift, risk of accidents and lack of regulations when using the unmanned aircraft
Spot spraying advancements include building algorithms
Advanced spraying systems have benefits, but they also have costs that must be taken into consideration
Spot spraying isn’t a new idea, and the equipment capable of performing selective applications has been around for decades. However, the technology that supports this approach is advancing. Tom Wolf, an application specialist with Agrimetrix Research & Training and Sprayers101, recently shared some of the new research, technology developments, and application techniques during the Western […] Read more
Crop Production Show 2025: Spray drone research continues
Tom Wolf, a research specialist at Agrimetrix, shared some of the spray drone research he and others in the subject area have done at the Nufarm Information Theatre during the Western Canadian Crop Production Show yesterday. While the use of spray drones for chemical application is still illegal in Canada, research on how to use […] Read more
Legal drone spraying takes step closer to reality
CFIA says the work that is ongoing to satisfy federal regulatory authorities is moving faster than previously anticipated
The ray of hope might be dim right now, but farmers wanting to legally spray pesticides on their crops using drones may be seeing the first hint of light at the end of the tunnel. Ross Breckels, a senior scientific evaluator with Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA), said the process of getting common […] Read more
Canada’s regulatory model slows innovation on the farm
Glacier FarmMedia – In early July, Manitoba Pork Council general manager Cam Dahl argued in an opinion piece that Canada’s product approvals process puts producers at a competitive disadvantage. “Farmers in competing countries like the U.S. have rapid access to new products and technologies, while the slow pace of regulatory approval in Canada can block […] Read more
Should farmers use drones to spray?
Producers are eager to adopt DIY aerial spraying, but a slow, careful approach if warranted, says sprayer expert
A number of farmers across Western Canada are using unmanned drones to spray crop protection products, and they’re doing it undeterred by a lack of regulatory approval, say ag drone experts. Markus Weber, president of Alberta-based LandView Drones, sells drones for agricultural applications, including crop spraying. Up until a few years ago, farmers were primarily […] Read more
Pesticide damage seen in small-town Saskatchewan
WINNIPEG – In mid-August last year, people in Speers, Sask., noticed a spray plane flying over the town and nearby for three consecutive days. The plane was applying pesticide to fields around Speers, a community of 70 people about 100 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon. The residents didn’t think much about it because spray planes are […] Read more
Spraying in dry times can be tricky
Heat waves and dry weather added to the headaches faced by canola producers during spraying season. “The main concern with the heat is just the evaporation of water from the droplets, and that causes two main problems,” said Tom Wolf, owner of Agrimetrics Research and Training based in Saskatoon. Other stories in the 2023 Canola […] Read more
Slow down, up the volume, reduce the pressure
A spraying specialist weighs in on how producers can achieve effective deep canopy coverage while applying fungicides
In Agrimetrix research conducted in chickpeas and field peas, water volume was the most important factor associated with good canopy penetration.
Circular thinking, recirculating booms
Tom Wolf, NozzleGuy, says recirculating booms remove many of the cost, time and contamination problems associated with conventional plumbed sections.
