June 18, 2018
New York Apple Orchard Claims World First in Pollination by Drone
Beak & Skiff Apple Orchard in LaFayette, NY, is the first orchard in the world to use drones to pollinate their apple trees, reports Syracuse.com.
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Dropcopter, a start-up company, used a hexacopter drone to spray pollen on five acres at the orchard. Co-founder Adam Fine told the newspaper the company has previously pollinated almond and cherry orchards. Working with Beak & Skiff marked the first time a drone was used to pollinate an apple orchard in May.
Fine told CNYCentral.com, that the drones can cover much more ground, faster, covering in an hour what it might take bees two weeks to accomplish.
“We pollinate about 12 acres max, and we currently carry about one a half kilos of pollen max,” Fine said.
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