• NEIKER participates in the DRONSafe project to reduce the exposure to phytosanitary products
• Together with the Agricultural and Livestock Union of Alava (UAGA), NEIKER will carry out trials on herbaceous crops in the Basque Country

The use of drones in agriculture is presented as an innovative solution to improve precision, efficiency and sustainability in the application of crop protection products. However, its implementation in the European Union still faces technical, economic and regulatory challenges. In this context, NEIKER participates in the DRONSafe project, a pioneering initiative that seeks to demonstrate the feasibility of using drones to reduce exposure to active ingredients, both for agricultural operators and the environment.

The project ‘Application of phytosanitary products with drones as a tool to reduce exposure to active substances’ aims to evaluate environmental exposure scenarios and operator and bystander safety, as well as the presence of residues in crops treated with this technology.

DRONSafe aims to demonstrate that the application of phytosanitary products with drones is a viable alternative within the environmental requirements set by European legislation and could be a key tool to ensure the sustainability of agricultural production.

Trials on herbaceous crops to evaluate their effectiveness

Within the DRONSafe project consortium, NEIKER plays a key role in carrying out trials on arable crops in the Basque Country. These tests will allow evaluating the efficacy and safety of the application of phytosanitary products by drones in comparison with other methods of terrestrial and aerial application. The aim is to generate solid scientific data that will help to validate this technology within the framework of European regulations.

DRONSafe experiences are being developed in several Living Labs, innovation spaces where tests are being carried out on crops such as citrus and vineyards in different regions of Spain. In the Basque Country, NEIKER is working in close collaboration with the Agricultural and Livestock Union of Alava (UAGA), which acts as the end user of the project in the region.

The DRONSafe project, 80% co-financed by the European Union through the Strategic Plan of the CAP-FEADER with a grant of 584,391.17 euros, has the participation of various entities in the field of agricultural research and the agricultural sector.

From NEIKER, together with other partners such as the Business Association for Plant Protection (AEPLA), the National Agri-Food Technology Center (CTAEX) and the National Institute of Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CSIC), we will contribute to the development of realistic and representative application scenarios to advance the integration of drones in the agriculture of the future.

In addition, the project opens the door to new opportunities in the framework of the future European regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products, which provides for the possibility of exemptions for aerial application with drones if a reduction of risks to human health and the environment is demonstrated.

The DRONSafe project, 80% co-financed by the European Union through the Strategic Plan of the CAP-FEADER with a grant of 584,391.17 euros, has the participation of various entities in the field of agricultural research and the agricultural sector.

From NEIKER, together with other partners such as the Business Association for Plant Protection (AEPLA), the National Agri-Food Technology Center (CTAEX) and the National Institute of Agricultural and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CSIC), we will contribute to the development of realistic and representative application scenarios to advance the integration of drones in the agriculture of the future.

In addition, the project opens the door to new opportunities in the framework of the future European regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products, which provides for the possibility of exemptions for aerial application with drones if a reduction of risks to human health and the environment is demonstrated.