Smart Apply develops a precision spray control system that utilizes LiDAR technology to optimize pesticide application based on the size and foliage density of individual plants, significantly reducing chemical use by up to 50%. This system addresses the issues of chemical runoff and waste by ensuring that only the necessary amount of pesticides is applied, resulting in up to 93% less runoff and 87% less airborne drift.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Growers of tree fruits, nuts, wine grapes, hops, and nursery crops often face challenges with inefficient pesticide application, leading to chemical runoff, airborne drift, and wasted resources. Traditional spraying methods apply chemicals uniformly, regardless of the size or density of individual plants, resulting in over-spraying and environmental concerns.
Solution
Smart Apply offers an intelligent spray control system that optimizes pesticide application by using LiDAR technology to detect the size and foliage density of individual plants. The system adjusts spray volume in real-time, ensuring that only the necessary amount of chemicals is applied, which minimizes waste and reduces environmental impact. Smart Apply's technology integrates with new and used air blast sprayers, over-the-row sprayers, and autonomous sprayers, providing a precision spraying solution for various high-value crops. The system also captures comprehensive data during spraying, including spray volumes, tree counts, and canopy volume, which is stored securely in the cloud for reporting and analysis.
Target Audience
The primary target audience includes growers of tree fruits and nuts, wine grapes, hops, and nursery crops, as well as agricultural equipment dealers and manufacturers.
Features
- LiDAR-based precision spraying that adjusts spray volume based on individual plant size and foliage density
- Compatibility with new and used air blast, over-the-row, and autonomous sprayers
- Proprietary software for setting up and managing spraying operations, including night spraying
- Cloud-based data storage for secure access to spraying data
- Comprehensive data capture and analysis, including date, time, spray volumes, tree counts, and canopy volume
- Digital documentation for reporting chemical use to meet regulatory and sustainability requirements
- Integration with GUSS autonomous sprayers for precision application