46 | Changing the landscape of aerial spraying Drone Spray provides a range of services including weed and crop spraying, crop protection, seeding, roof cleaning, and advanced surveying. Nicki Woodlock RURAL SERVICES » Drone Spray Northland Drone Spray dronespray.nz, a cutting-edge drone spraying company, was founded in Christchurch in 2021 by Jono Scott. In early 2023, Northland-based Thom Hooker, interested in entering the drone spraying space, discovered Drone Spray. After meeting with Scott, the two quickly found common ground and decided to become business partners. Today, Jono Scott and Thom Hooker are co-owners of Drone Spray, operating in both the Northland and Canterbury regions. Drone Spray provides a range of services including weed and crop spraying, crop protection, seeding, roof cleaning, and advanced surveying. These offerings serve a wide range of industries and terrains, from farmland to commercial rooftops. “We have an ever-growing number of applications across a range of industries. We are able to get to difficult places that are out of reach for traditional providers,” says Hooker. Utilising state-of-the-art drone technology from XAG, Drone Spray operates drones over three metres in size. These powerful machines carry a 60-litre payload and can weigh up to 118kg when fully loaded. Hooker explains, “The XAG system not only allows us to spray manually but offers automated spraying from surveyed maps. This greatly extends the area we can spray while maintaining pinpoint accuracy. We can spray on 90-degree cliffs and more technically challenging steep terrain.” All pilots employed by Drone Spray undergo rigorous training and fly under a CAA-approved exposition manual. Once trained, they can obtain qualifications from CAA-approved training organisations and an Agricultural Rating (AG Rating) for spraying. The company is fully insured with public liability coverage to ensure both operational and customer safety. Drone Spray’s pilots undergo annual refresher training and operational competency assessments. When comparing Drone Spray to competitors, Hooker highlights key advantages: “We can access difficult terrain. During wet periods we can access areas without destroying crops and fields. We are very accurate with our spraying.” Pricing is flexible too, with options to charge by flight time or by area, depending on the job. “We can survey a field with multispectral cameras which can pull out data about plant health, and we can go and remediate those problems,” says Hooker. Awareness of drone technology in agriculture is growing. “Farmers are very open to new technology and things that can save them time and money. I think we will see drones displacing helicopters within 10-20 years.” Drone Spray’s major Northland clients include the Northland Regional Council and large dairy farms. Projects have ranged from weed eradication to mapping kauri trees using AI. Future plans involve expanding nationwide through a franchise model. “We are looking to scale up the team nationwide,” says Hooker. “Start-up costs are around $100,000– $120,000 for the drone, mixing tray, training and Ute. GET IN TOUCH - fenixuas.nz - enquiries@fenixuas.nz - 027 287 1468 WHAT WE DO Drone pilot qualifications delivered by a CAA certified training organisation Specialist aerial application training Operating manuals required for CAA certification Guidance through the certification process Spray Drone Regulatory Specialists We navigate the complexity of Civil Aviation regulations so you can focus on the job. NZ’S ASSET FINANCE SPECIALISTS ELDHO BABU | 021 280 4584 | udc.co.nz PROUD TO SUPPORT DRONE SPRAY NORTHLAND A I R B O R N E S O L U T I O N S A g r i c u l t u r a l D r o n e S p e c i a l i s t s Proudly driving ag innovation across New Zealand. We bring the latest in drone and automation tech straight to Kiwi farmers - making spraying and spreading faster, smarter and easier. As NZ’s exclusive XAG distributor, we don’t just sell the gear - we use it, back it, and support you every step of the way. Call us on 06 870 4030 Utilising state-of-the-art drone technology from XAG, Drone Spray operates drones over three metres in size. UDC is a finance company that has helped us and other business partners to get into the industry. It’s really great that they’ve backed a new industry,” says Hooker. Looking ahead, with more regional owners, Hooker would like to step up a level and manage the regions. “We want to manage the franchise model. We want to grow the team in our regions and other regions. We want to foster a great industry in New Zealand where we all work together”, says Hooker. Drone spraying, he believes, will play a key role in pest eradication, maintaining the agricultural industry, and protecting New Zealand’s unique flora and fauna.
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