HARDIi’s GeoSelect advanced weed seeking spot sprayer system now added to COMMANDER trailed sprayers to save 90% of chemical usage in some instances
Growers were quick to realise the HARDI GeoSelect method of weed seeking, and spot spraying was the most targeted approach available to date. See the initial GeoSelect launch story here.
GeoSelect has now been extended from HARDI self-propelled models, across to the first trailed sprayers to incorporate the system, COMMANDER trailed models.
The COMMANDER range of trailed sprayers are the largest trailed sprayer offered by HARDI Australia and suit large-scale farmer and contractor operations with a high-quality design offering a large product capacity and wide boom distribution.
Product tank capacities on the COMMANDER range from 6,500 to 10,000-litres and height-controlled booms extending from 30 to 48.5m.
HARDI self-propelled models that can specify GeoSelect include the SARITOR 7000 with a 7000-litre product capacity and 36.5 to 48.5m boom widths.
The RUBICON with 6500 and 9000-litre product tanks and 36.5 to 54.5m boom widths, and the lower weight ALPHA with 4200 and 5100-litre capacities and 24 to 42.5m boom widths.
With the Geoselect weed seeking systems HARDI is able to make a claim of 90% less chemicals required, and that amounts to a big saving that growers will find hard to resist.
Where the HARDI GeoSystem difference lays is at the very foundation of identifying the problem weeds in the paddock at the start.
There are no cameras attached to the spray boom seeking out weeds on the run. There is no need as that information has already been fed into the GeoSystem monitor before the sprayer is even launched.
HARDI GeoSelect gathers its vital weed information from a farm drone that scans the full paddock and feeds the information back for programming into the system.
By using a drone to scan hi-res imagery the GeoSelect system is able to identify and number every weed in the paddock, store that information and then arm the sprayer to spot spray with not-seen-before pinpoint accuracy.
The sprayer operator no longer has to waste time seeking out weeds, it is already done for them, instead the operator is guided through a mission of accurately spraying all problem weeds.
All the data from the drone has already been calculated before the sprayer is spirited into action, with the mission of getting across the paddock as quickly as possible and in the process pick out and spray identified weeds.
Through the GeoSelect weed management monitor, the operator knows exactly how much chemical to mix, what rows to skip and where to slow down to get the best efficiency from the chemical application.
Just to show how much time GeoSelect can save, during the concise paddock run the operator will be instructed to speed up over ground that contains no weeds, but then be instructed to slow down where a heavy belt of weeds exist.
All the while making sure that every weed marked is sprayed with an effective chemical application within a centimetre accuracy to eradicate it.
To further back up application accuracy GeoSelect works with HARDI’s H-Select 3+1 nozzle system to precisely co-ordinate four different nozzles at each nozzle body.
These four nozzles work in conjunction with 1 to spot spray while the 3 others rapidly switch between nozzle combinations to maintain the required dose set point right across a wide, turning boom.
Farm managers can immediately see the benefit of using pre-scanned imagery that eliminates unwanted spraying for a herbicide product saving of up to 90% in certain conditions. This targeted approach also saves on operator time.
During the targeted spraying process farm mangers will also have the benefit of collecting real time data from the multiple, lightweight GNSS antennas mounted along the boom.
This also helps to ensure precision accuracy is maintained throughout the weed spraying run.
GeoSelect has been engineered to automatically adjust for boom deflection and changes in ambient conditions, allowing it to be accurate in any spraying environment.
HARDI research shows that application accuracy can easily be maintained at working speeds of 25 to 30kph, and there is the added advantage of working at night with confidence no weed has been missed.
At the end of the paddock run HARDI estimates that more than 99.7% of weeds will have been targeted and eliminated with the GeoSelect system.
The completed process is backed by a record of placement through GPS positioning and time stamped metrics to ensure that every weed sprayed has been recorded.
HARDI GeoSelect has been developed for local spraying conditions and is able to eliminate any inaccurate readings with the use of high imagery drone data.
See more on how Geoselect works on this link.
For more information on GeoSelect contact HARDI Australia for your nearest dealer on Tel: 1300 042 734, email: hau.marketing@hardi.com or see more at: www.hardi.com.au
