Agave, a resilient desert plant, is central to the production of tequila, a beverage deeply rooted in Mexican culture. Predominantly cultivated in Jalisco, Mexico, particularly the Tequila region, agave farming has unique challenges and requirements. The region's arid climate and rocky terrain make traditional farming practices both labor-intensive and costly, especially for herbicide application, which is crucial for the proper development of young agave plants (1-3 years).
Proper herbicide application is essential but comes with several significant challenges:
Growing high-quality agave requires timely interventions, including herbicide application, fertilization, and pest control, across a 7-year growth cycle. Traditionally, these tasks are performed manually by large teams of laborers or by tractors, which is time-consuming, costly, and prone to human error.
Before the advent of drone technology, agave farmers relied on tractors with sprayers or manual backpack sprayers. These methods have several drawbacks:
Our case study focuses on an agave producer in the Tequila region who began exploring DJI Agriculture drones about 10-14 months ago. Faced with the time constraints and high costs of traditional herbicide application methods, they decided to adopt DJI's Agras T40 drones during the 2023 wet season. With a team of two pilots, they have successfully treated approximately 300 hectares of agave fields so far.
The drone intervention took place on June 28, 2023, in Tequila, Mexico. The weather on the day of the intervention was favorable, although specific details on temperature, humidity, and wind speed were not recorded.
The chosen drone for this operation was the DJI Agras T40, selected for its larger capacity, allowing more terrain to be covered per flight. The P4 Multispectral drone was also selected for its mapping and sensing capabilities, which enhanced the efficiency of the spraying process.
The herbicide used was Amvac Krovar, a combination of Bromacil and Diuron in dry granule form, diluted in water at a ratio of 3 kg per hectare. This solution applied at a ratio of 200 ml per hectare, significantly reducing the amount of water required compared to traditional methods.
The results were evaluated one month after the intervention. Compared to untreated controls, the agave plants treated with the drone showed a significant improvement in health and growth, with a noticeable reduction in weed competition. When compared to plots treated manually or by tractor, the agave health appeared comparable, but this was achieved with significantly reduced operational costs and time:
Cost Breakdown |
Drone Spraying |
Tractor Spraying |
Manual Spraying |
Labor Costs |
$1.43 |
$14.29 |
$57.14 |
Chemical Costs |
$133.71 |
$133.71 |
$133.71 |
Fuel Costs |
$0.00 |
$44.57 |
$0.00 |
Equipment Maintenance & Depreciation |
$1.83 |
$1.83 |
$0.00 |
Other Costs |
$2.86 |
$5.71 |
$26.74 |
Total Cost Per Hectare |
$139.83 |
$200.11 |
$217.60 |
Method |
Area Covered |
Number of People |
Time Taken |
Manual Labor |
1 hectare |
10 |
90 minutes |
Tractor |
1 hectare |
1-2 |
1 hour |
Drone |
6 hectares |
3 |
1 hour |
The DJI Agras T40 drones offered multiple benefits:
"Using Agras T40 drones for herbicide spraying was not only a cost-effective solution that allowed us to make better use of our resources and personnel but also enabled us to complete our herbicide application schedule just before the rainy season began," said the agave producer. "This technology has revolutionized our approach to farming."
In summary, the integration of DJI Agras T40 drones in agave farming has demonstrated significant improvements in efficiency, cost savings, safety, and environmental sustainability. This case study is a testament to the transformative power of drone technology in agriculture, offering valuable insights for agricultural innovators, drone enthusiasts, and sustainable farming advocates.
Future investigations will proceed with the Agras T50 in order to determine how many tasks a drone can complete for an agave producer within one year.
The Agave farmer featured in this case concludes with this advice: "For those considering DJI Agriculture drones, start by understanding your specific needs and how drone technology can address them. The efficiency and cost savings are transformative."
* Drone images in this article feature Agras T50, which has since been adopted by this agave farm in Tequila, Mexico.
See Agras drones in action over agave fields in our case study video.
Special thanks to Agrac for sharing information used in the article above.
Contact Agtrac: rmartinez@agtrac.mx
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