Hey Arrow Air discourse,
Long time reader, first time caller.
We are gathering insight potential users, customers, and partners about their challenges that can be solved using the Brush Bullet technology. As we learn more, we will use this thread to share facts which will help inform the drone’s requirements to solve these challenges.
Each person might have a brand new perspective, and new facts may conflict with old facts. My job is to get those to you as soon as I have them and to help you all make sense of them. I’ll post the next update ASAP.
Hey all,
We have had three great conversations last week and have lots of promising updates to share. Our first goal is always to make something that people love. To do so, we need to understand what is important to them and what challenges they are facing.
Our current hypothesis is that drones can be used to aid in brush management out in west Texas. The term of the week was IPT, or individual plant treatment. To test out this hypothesis, we talked with three segments of the brush management ecosystem:
A rancher
A brush-management applicator
A representative of the IPT manufacturer (Brush Bullet)
Brush-Management Applicator (cf0e7b995c96)
Payload total weight 5-10lbs, including ~2lbs of treatment
In helicopter, can treat up to 40-50 acres/hour
But a job could be hundreds of acres in total
Cost: Our solution needs to be under $1000/hour for these jobs
Or similar cost basis e.g. $250/hour for 4 hours
Pricing is evaluated as per-acre
Has a 300 acre job just waiting to get done right now
Believes lots of drone platforms are interchangeable
Solids and liquids both
Rancher (910e163d0164)
Big challenge has been managing brush along ranch fence line
Herbicide spraying has cost about ~$15/acre right now
Spike application about ~$100/acre
Cost-share programs bring the price down for ranchers
Brush Bullet Rep. (0a8fb32812d5)
Has tried to work with DJI Agras T10, felt it was too slow, too low battery time
With pre-planned missions, the T10 would “settle” on a waypoint for 20-30 seconds before depositing BB, wasting time & battery
Was paired with a mapping drone to build the mission plan in advance
Whole system is ~8lbs, with 2 pounds of brush bullets
“At the most, 3lbs to the acre, if it is just completely covered”
Generally, 1/4 to 1/2 pounds per acre
Would really like to see 30+ minutes of mission time
Actionable Learning
Need 25 minutes flight time, would like 30+ minutes
Payload ~8lbs, including 2lbs of herbicide
Generally dispense 1/4 to 1/2 pounds per acre
“At the most, 3lbs to the acre, if it is just completely covered”
Cost benchmark: ~$1000/hour for helicopter jobs
Efficiency benchmark: 1500 acres in 4-5 hours in helicopter
Some jobs can be several hundred acres
Current assumption is 75th percentile is around 300 acres
Side note: I am going to try to keep this thread focused on:
Things that can help inform engineering decisions
involving Brush Bullet application
There are so many things that are being shared about possible drone uses that it would overwhelm this thread. I will also post updates for those in the appropriate channels.
It might be helpful to create a full cost breakdown on our side including:
Drone operator labor cost
Consumables (bullets in this case)
Energy (Charging)
Drone acquisition cost / life
Component deterioration cost (deterioration of battery, motor, esc, life limited parts)
Other?
Some of them are not available or may not be predictable at the moment but its a good practice to understand the major ones and targeting the cost reduction accordingly. Then value proposal will have a better clarity.