Drone spraying uses less water, but the tank mix is more concentrated — what to adjust

Drone spraying uses significantly less water per rai than spraying with a backpack sprayer or a high-pressure sprayer. The benefit is less water to carry and faster work, but there is a side effect you need to understand clearly.

Same product, less water: more concentrated

The product rate per rai set by the label does not change because the spraying method changes. What changes is the amount of water it is dissolved in. With less water, the concentration of the mix in the tank is higher.

Three things that must be adjusted to match

1. Stronger protection when mixing

A more concentrated mix means a single splash on your body delivers more of the substance than before. Rubber gloves and goggles while mixing are therefore no longer optional.

2. Compatibility tests must really be done

Products that mixed fine together in a large, very dilute tank may form sediment at a higher concentration. Testing in a jar first is more important than before. It is not something to skip because you have mixed that pair before without problems.

3. Water filtering and system cleaning

Drone nozzles have smaller openings than ordinary sprayers. A more concentrated mix plus sediment in the water makes them block more easily. Always filter water before it goes into the tank, and always clean the system with clean water after every job, not only when changing products.

What does not change

The pre-harvest safety interval does not change with the spraying method, because it is based on the amount of product applied to the crop, not on the amount of water.

The product rate per rai on the label does not change. Cutting the product because "the drone covers better" is under-dosing, which directly speeds up resistance.

The real advantage gained

The operator does not have to walk inside a cloud of spray the whole time as with a backpack sprayer, which greatly reduces the sprayer's cumulative exposure. This is the clearest health benefit of switching to drones, and a reason that deserves more attention than speed alone.
Important note
This article explains general safety principles. It is not a recommendation to use any particular chemical. Mixing rates, the crops a product may be used on and the waiting periods required differ by product and change with government notifications. Always treat the product label as the authority, and consult an agricultural specialist or our staff before deciding to use it.