RTK technology enables precise pest control even at night.
Higher pest control effect at night when pesticides do not evaporate
On the 19th, LG U+ successfully completed a ‘drone night spraying demonstration’ using Farm Hannong and the U+ drone control system to precisely spray crop protection agents even at night.

On the evening of the 18th, LG U+ conducted a night flight at the Farm Hannong Crop Protection Research Center research farm in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, using the U+ drone control system, at an altitude of 3m, at a speed of 3m/s for 1 hour to monitor the flight path, as well as LTE remote control functions, such as nighttime spraying and pinpoint spraying, for a ‘drone precision spraying demonstration.’

To this end, LG U+ submitted a flight plan in accordance with the Aviation Safety Act's 'Standards for Approval Procedures for Special Flights of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles' and received permission for special nighttime drone flights from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

On this day, LG U+ successfully completed a demonstration of drone precision pest control, including ▲nighttime, precision automatic pest control using the U+ drone control system, ▲pattern pest control using two drones to automatically spray the work area, ▲obstacle avoidance pest control that avoids setting the location of a vinyl greenhouse and sprays it, and ▲pinpoint pest control that sprays crop protection agents on pear trees in a spiral flight.

Spraying crop protection agents using drones is being implemented by many farms.However, LG U+ attempted precise nighttime drone control for the first time in Korea by combining the U+ drone control system, which utilizes the LTE network secured nationwide, with the real-time kinematics (RTK) system.

RTK technology utilizes ground-based fixed or mobile RTK base stations and drone-mounted systems to calculate precise, real-world locations, reducing the margin of error. This allows for real-time measurement of areas requiring crop protection spraying within a margin of error of 2-3 cm, offering greater precision than the GPS systems typically used by drones.

Conventional drone GPS systems often have errors in their actual locations due to factors such as clouds, tall buildings, and satellite errors. Furthermore, because the GPS on the drone moves in real time with the drone, it's difficult to minimize errors, making precision pest control difficult. Furthermore, while drone pest control is typically performed manually only within visual range, the U+ drone control system enables automated pest control, day or night, without the need for a drone pilot, significantly enhancing convenience and practicality.

LG U+ Drone Team Leader Kwon Yong-hoon said, “We can spray crop protection agents precisely even at night thanks to the U+ Drone Control System.” He added, “If you set the work area in the control system and press the start button on the terminal, the drone will fly autonomously and perform the task.”

Heejun Kwon, marketing manager at the Crop Protection Division of Farmhannong, explained the advantages of nighttime drone spraying, saying, “Spraying crop protection agents at night improves the pesticide effect because the agent does not evaporate, and the wind is weaker than during the day, so the agent does not blow to surrounding crops, making it much safer.” He also said, “FarmHannong will continue to develop specialized pesticides optimized for drone control, allowing farmers to control pests more easily and efficiently.”