Efficient nitrogen management is essential to reconcile farm profitability with the protection of soil fertility. In conventional practice, top-dressing of winter cereals is constrained by soil trafficability and crop growth stage, since tractor traffic causes soil compaction and mechanical crop damage along the wheel tracks. After reviewing Precision Agriculture technologies and the EASA/ENAC regulatory framework as updated in 2026, this thesis assesses the technical and operational feasibility of granular urea application by a multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on arable crops, an application not subject to the restrictions on the aerial spraying of plant protection products and therefore among the most readily practicable. The trial was carried out in February 2026 on a sloping oat field with an overhead power line in the province of Ancona (Italy), where 8.86 ha were fertilized with a DJI Agras T50 at a uniform planned rate of 200 kg/ha (flight height 4 m above the crop, speed 5 m/s, track spacing 4.78 m). Operational performance was derived from the flight log (43 productive missions), and crop response was assessed through multispectral surveys (NDVI) and a yield map interpolated by ordinary kriging. The entire planned area was treated at an actual mean rate of 188.4 kg/ha (−5.8%), with a between-mission coefficient of variation of 22.6% and two distinct delivery levels in the early and final phases of the operation. Flight time accounted for only 35.1% of net operating time, with a field capacity of 2.65 ha/h based on flight time alone and an effective field capacity of 0.93 ha/h. The main limiting factor was the time spent refilling the hopper and recharging the batteries, further increased by partial use of the payload (on average 77.6% of the 50 kg maximum) and by the growing distance between the take-off point and the working front. NDVI maps and the yield map (mean 6.5 t/ha; range 4.2–7.9 t/ha) revealed spatially coincident anomalies near the power-line pole and along some headlands, consistent with uneven fertilizer deposition. The absence of in-crop tractor traffic would provide a potential gross saving ranging from about €148/ha (fertilization only) to €209/ha (fertilization and crop protection). The results confirm the feasibility of the technique and identify room for optimization: increasing the load per flight to 47 kg, which would raise effective field capacity to 1.04 ha/h; experimentally determining the effective swath width; and adopting platforms with greater payload and LiDAR obstacle sensing. As the application was performed at tillering, the benefits of UAV top-dressing at stem elongation and booting, and of variable-rate strategies based on prescription maps, remain to be verified. Overall, aerial application of inputs emerges as a promising solution for preventing soil degradation, provided that operating protocols are validated and authorization procedures are streamlined.
La gestione efficiente della concimazione azotata è essenziale per conciliare redditività aziendale e tutela della fertilità del suolo. Nella tecnica convenzionale, la concimazione di copertura dei cereali autunno-vernini è vincolata alla portanza del terreno e allo stadio fenologico, poiché il transito della trattrice provoca costipamento del suolo e danni meccanici alla coltura lungo le carreggiate. Dopo un'analisi delle tecnologie dell'Agricoltura di Precisione e del quadro normativo EASA/ENAC aggiornato al 2026, il lavoro valuta la fattibilità tecnico-operativa della distribuzione di urea granulare mediante drone multirotore (UAV) su seminativi, applicazione non soggetta alle restrizioni previste per l'irrorazione aerea dei prodotti fitosanitari e, pertanto, tra le più immediatamente praticabili. La prova è stata condotta nel febbraio 2026 su un appezzamento ad avena della provincia di Ancona, a giacitura non pianeggiante e interessato da una linea elettrica aerea, concimando 8,86 ha con un DJI Agras T50 alla dose uniforme pianificata di 200 kg/ha (quota di 4 m sulla coltura, velocità di 5 m/s, spaziatura fra le passate di 4,78 m e disco a 1.200 giri/min). Le prestazioni del cantiere sono state ricavate dal registro dei voli (43 missioni produttive); la risposta colturale è stata valutata mediante rilievi multispettrali (NDVI) e una mappa di resa interpolata con kriging ordinario. L'intera superficie pianificata è stata trattata con un rateo medio effettivo di 188,4 kg/ha (−5,8%) e un coefficiente di variazione fra le missioni del 22,6%, con due distinti livelli di erogazione fra fase iniziale e finale del cantiere. Il tempo di volo ha rappresentato soltanto il 35,1% della durata netta dell'operazione, con una capacità di lavoro di 2,65 ha/h riferita al solo volo e di 0,93 ha/h effettiva. Il principale fattore limitante è risultato il tempo dedicato al rifornimento della tramoggia e alla ricarica delle batterie, accresciuto dal parziale sfruttamento del carico utile (in media il 77,6% dei 50 kg ammessi) e dalla crescente distanza fra punto di decollo e fronte di lavoro. Le mappe NDVI e la mappa di resa (media 6,5 t/ha; intervallo 4,2–7,9 t/ha) hanno evidenziato anomalie spazialmente coincidenti in prossimità del sostegno della linea elettrica e di alcune capezzagne, compatibili con una deposizione non uniforme del fertilizzante. L'assenza di transito della trattrice in copertura comporterebbe un risparmio lordo potenziale compreso fra circa 148 €/ha (sola concimazione) e 209 €/ha (concimazione e trattamento fitosanitario). I risultati confermano la fattibilità della tecnica e ne individuano i margini di ottimizzazione: l'aumento del carico per volo a 47 kg, che porterebbe la capacità di lavoro effettiva a 1,04 ha/h; la determinazione sperimentale della fascia utile; l'adozione di piattaforme con maggiore carico utile e sensori LiDAR. Poiché l'intervento è stato eseguito in fase di accestimento, restano da verificare i benefici della distribuzione in levata e in botticella e delle strategie a rateo variabile basate su Mappe di Prescrizione. Nel complesso, la distribuzione aerea degli input si configura come una soluzione promettente per la prevenzione del degrado del suolo, a condizione che siano validati i protocolli operativi e snellite le procedure autorizzative.
AGRICOLTURA DI PRECISIONE: STUDIO DELLA CONCIMAZIONE UREICA CON DRONE SUI SEMINATIVI
PATRIGNANI, DENNIS
2025/2026
Abstract
Efficient nitrogen management is essential to reconcile farm profitability with the protection of soil fertility. In conventional practice, top-dressing of winter cereals is constrained by soil trafficability and crop growth stage, since tractor traffic causes soil compaction and mechanical crop damage along the wheel tracks. After reviewing Precision Agriculture technologies and the EASA/ENAC regulatory framework as updated in 2026, this thesis assesses the technical and operational feasibility of granular urea application by a multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on arable crops, an application not subject to the restrictions on the aerial spraying of plant protection products and therefore among the most readily practicable. The trial was carried out in February 2026 on a sloping oat field with an overhead power line in the province of Ancona (Italy), where 8.86 ha were fertilized with a DJI Agras T50 at a uniform planned rate of 200 kg/ha (flight height 4 m above the crop, speed 5 m/s, track spacing 4.78 m). Operational performance was derived from the flight log (43 productive missions), and crop response was assessed through multispectral surveys (NDVI) and a yield map interpolated by ordinary kriging. The entire planned area was treated at an actual mean rate of 188.4 kg/ha (−5.8%), with a between-mission coefficient of variation of 22.6% and two distinct delivery levels in the early and final phases of the operation. Flight time accounted for only 35.1% of net operating time, with a field capacity of 2.65 ha/h based on flight time alone and an effective field capacity of 0.93 ha/h. The main limiting factor was the time spent refilling the hopper and recharging the batteries, further increased by partial use of the payload (on average 77.6% of the 50 kg maximum) and by the growing distance between the take-off point and the working front. NDVI maps and the yield map (mean 6.5 t/ha; range 4.2–7.9 t/ha) revealed spatially coincident anomalies near the power-line pole and along some headlands, consistent with uneven fertilizer deposition. The absence of in-crop tractor traffic would provide a potential gross saving ranging from about €148/ha (fertilization only) to €209/ha (fertilization and crop protection). The results confirm the feasibility of the technique and identify room for optimization: increasing the load per flight to 47 kg, which would raise effective field capacity to 1.04 ha/h; experimentally determining the effective swath width; and adopting platforms with greater payload and LiDAR obstacle sensing. As the application was performed at tillering, the benefits of UAV top-dressing at stem elongation and booting, and of variable-rate strategies based on prescription maps, remain to be verified. Overall, aerial application of inputs emerges as a promising solution for preventing soil degradation, provided that operating protocols are validated and authorization procedures are streamlined.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12075/28566