Drone Strike in Jerez!

Viticulture from on high!

We have heard a lot about “drones” recently, not all of it favourable, but they do have many peaceful uses, and one which has been modified for viticulture has recently been shown in Jerez.

A few days ago, Grupo Estevez held a technical day in their Viña Bristol vineyard, at which the main attraction was, yes, a drone, in a demonstration of the opportunities it can offer to viticulture in Jerez. The drone is called a “Fieldcopter”, and the project has been developed by a consortium of six European members from Spain, Belgium and Holland specifically for crop management, especially vines, fruits and potatoes. Things are still at the trial stage, but if the wine world is convinced, it would make the project viable and a specific company would be formed to commercialise the product.

Drone and guidance equipment (Imagen DiarioJerez)

The device is equipped with thermal cameras which can detect hydric stress (lack of water) and disease in the plants, and once the pictures have been processed, the grower can make informed decisions to reduce risks and improve crop quality. One great advantage of the drone is the speed of the process, reduced from five weeks before to only twenty-four hours. It is not yet clear how much the use of a drone would cost, but it would probably be charged by the hectare.

Some time ago, the Spanish astronaut Pedro Duque presented in Jerez a project directed at vine management with the help of a satellite, but nothing more has been heard of it, despite some growers investing in it. According to the drone expert, a satellite cannot capture such accurate pictures, and now that a drone’s pictures can be processed so quickly, the drone is the obvious choice, and it is already proving its worth.