Pre-Flight Planning
- Field Assessment & Site Preparation
Before flying the drone, the operator must inspect the field to ensure a safe operation area.
- Identify obstacles like trees, electric poles, wires, and buildings.
- Check the ground surface for uneven areas or potential hazards.
- Select a safe take-off and landing zone.
- Ensure no people or animals are present in the spraying path.
Good field preparation prevents accidents and ensures smooth drone operations.
- Weather Check & Wind Understanding
Weather plays a major role in drone stability and spraying accuracy.
- Avoid flying in strong winds, rain, and thunderstorms.
- Ideal wind speed is below 10–12 km/h for agricultural spraying.
- Check humidity and temperature, as they affect battery performance.
- Ensure visibility is clear for line-of-sight flying.
Understanding weather patterns helps ensure safe and effective drone missions.
- Drone Inspection Checklist
A full inspection of the drone must be done before every flight:
- Check airframe condition for cracks or loose parts.
- Inspect motors and propellers for damage.
- Verify GPS, compass, and IMU status.
- Check landing gear and spray system.
- Confirm firmware and software updates.
This checklist ensures the drone is ready and reduces the risk of failure mid-flight.
- Battery Readiness & Propeller Check
- Make sure batteries are fully charged and properly connected.
- Check for swelling, damage, or overheating signs.
- Ensure multiple spare batteries are ready for continuous operations.
- Inspect propellers for cracks, bends, or loose screws.
- Replace any damaged propeller immediately.
Proper battery and propeller checks enhance flight safety and drone life.
- Mission Planning Using Flight Apps
Flight planning apps help create automated missions for precise spraying or mapping.
- Set field boundaries and mark obstacles.
- Choose altitude, speed, and spray width settings.
- Define waypoints for autonomous flight.
- Configure Return-to-Home settings.
- Sync the mission plan with the drone before takeoff.
Good mission planning ensures uniform spraying, accurate mapping, and efficient battery use.