Aerial Spot Sprayer Demo Sept 8, 2010 Ironwood National Monument Marana AZ. Wesley Throop Project Engineer Missoula Technology & Development Center

Transcription

1 Aerial Spot Sprayer Demo Sept 8, 2010 Ironwood National Monument Marana AZ Wesley Throop Project Engineer Missoula Technology & Development Center

2 Purpose of Demo To evaluate the feasibility of using aerial spot spraying for treating buffelgrass and other species on federal land

3 Buffelgrass An invasive species Out competes native vegetation for water and nutrients Creates a fireprone environment that can kill native species Frequently located in steep terrain that is not easily accessible to ground crews

4 Current Buffelgrass Control Methods Hand pulling and digging Ground spraying (vehicle and backpack sprayer)

5 Problems with Current Control Methods Takes too much time and does not cover enough area Limited time frame for treatment - spraying is only effective during green up

6 Aerial Spraying Trials August 2010 Purpose: to determine if conventional aerial spraying is a feasible method to control buffelgrass Equipment used helicopter mounted boom system Chemical used glyphosate

7 Sprayed twelve, 1 acre test plots Sampling cards were placed within each plot to determine application rate Sampling cards and air samplers were placed outside of each plot to determine drift Plots will be monitored to determine effectiveness Test Details

8 Problems with Conventional Aerial Spraying Spray coverage is not limited to buffelgrass - native species in the target area may be injured or killed Drift outside of target areas

9 Potential Solution Aerial Spot Spraying

10 Spot Spraying Description Chemical is dispensed from a nozzle in a spray ball or other device that hangs below a helicopter Typically used to treat individual plants or small areas

11 Spot Spraying Has Been Used to Treat: Melaleuca in Florida Spartina in San Francisco Bay area Thistles in Oregon Australian Tree Fern and other vegetation in Hawaii Phragmites in the Hanford Reach National Monument

12 Reasons to Consider Spot Reduces chances of spraying non-targeted plants Less drift than conventional spraying because spray nozzle is only a few feet above the ground May use less herbicide than conventional aerial spraying Spraying

13 Demo Objectives Evaluate spot spraying in a variety of plot sizes and terrain features that simulate typical buffelgrass locations Video the demo so speed and accuracy can be analyzed

14 Demo Equipment

15 Spray Solution: Water & Hi-Light Blue Liquid Dye Visible to pilot Non-toxic, nonhazardous no paperwork Color fades in sunlight

16 Helicopter: Bell Jetranger

17 Spray System: Simplex Model 12020

18 Spray System Features Tank attached to helicopter cargo hook Sprayball or pyramid attached to tank with 50 longline Entire system can be jettisoned with the press of a button No longer manufactured by Simplex

19 Manufactured specifically for Jetranger may be adaptable to similar aircraft 70 Gallon capacity Electric pump 3.0 gpm 45psi Tank

20 Sprayball Originally furnished with system Single nozzle

21 Pyramid Manufactured by HMC Helicopters 4 nozzles May be equipped with fins and a boom to spray wider strips

22 Video Cameras Three on ground Two tripod mounted One handheld One mounted on helicopter One taped to longline

23 Test Plots

24 Designed to Simulate the Following Conditions Canyon bottom Moderate size spot on hillside near rock outcropping Transition time between two spots Long narrow spot Spot with obstacles Small spot Long wide swath

25 Each plot was marked with ribbon to aid the pilot Sampling cards were placed: In each plot to determine coverage level Outside of most plots to determine drift Plot Layout

26 Plot Sizes and Locations 4 m x 4 m plot in bottom of canyon 10 m x 10 m plot on the side of the canyon near rock outcropping (2) 4 m X 4 m plots across creek bed from each other 30 m X 5 m strip on level ground 4 m x 4 m among the saguaros 2 m x 2 m spot on level ground An old airstrip

27 Observations

28 General Observations Good accuracy Higher performance aircraft such as L4 may be more effective because of hot/high conditions Pre-treatment GPS mapping of buffelgrass locations needed for pilot to navigate to proper area Pre-treatment recon flight would probably be needed Cost would probably limit use to small high value areas that are difficult to reach

29 Advantages Allows treatment of previously inaccessible areas Speed - may allow more area to be treated in difficult to reach areas during green up May reduce injuries to ground crews from falls, heat exhaustion, etc

30 Disadvantages Helicopter is in low/slow flight with frequent hovering in hot/high conditions (Up to 4, F) Cost (may be neutral) Mapping Recon flight Application May be difficult to obtain consistent application rate because of: Overlapping spray patterns due to motion of the ball Difficulty maintaining a constant airspeed and altitude of the ball over the target area Potential to hang sprayball in vegetation Pilot must be long line and pesticide application qualified

31 Where do we go from here? Invite other equipment manufacturers/ technologies such as Timbermark for evaluations Develop report/tech tip/guidance for Forest Service use

32 Questions?