Case studies by crop · Permanent crops

Vineyards in the Aosta Valley (Agras T10)

DJI Agriculture case study, collected by FLYDROPS.

In the Aosta Valley in north-west Italy, a winegrower could not use a tractor on his steep slopes. With an Agras T10 he applied foliar fertilizer on 4 hectares of scattered vineyards, and a four-day job became one morning.

The Aosta Valley: vines on slopes and terraces.

At a glance

Location	Aosta Valley, Italy (Sarres, Villeneuve, Nus)
Crop	Grapevine, south-facing, 40% slope, sandy dry soil
Drone	DJI Agras T10
Application	Foliar fertilizer every 15 days, from the end of May 2022
Area	4 hectares across 12 plots spread over 50 km
Grower	Michel Clusaz, supported by Aermatica3D

The study uses the T10, an earlier generation. The current range is DJI Agras T100, T70P, T55 and T25P; find which one fits your acreage or compare the models.

The challenge

In Aosta the vines are on steep slopes where a tractor cannot go, and crewed aircraft are out of the question because of risk and drift. What remains is a knapsack sprayer, which is slow and heavy, especially when the plots are small and scattered.

What was done

Michel Clusaz had seen the T10’s predecessor (the MG-1P) at a demonstration in 2019 and bought the T10 in 2022. The T10 is light and suited to small, disconnected plots on steep ground. The foliar fertilizer (a very concentrated liquid, under 100 L/ha) was applied with terrain following and atomized spray.

height 2–3 m above the crop,
route spacing under 2 m,
40 flights and 3 batteries,
6 hours in total, including moving between the 12 plots.

The results

Measure	Before	With drone
Application time	4 days	4 working hours (one morning)
Carrying a load	Yes, with a knapsack sprayer	No
Fertilizer quantity	—	Reduced, per the grower

The numbers come from the study and relate to that specific application.

“The main advantage was health: I can treat steeply sloping ground very easily and I finished in one morning what I used to do in four days, without carrying any weight,” says the grower. He adds that operating the drone is simple: you plan the route, press start and it practically flies itself.

What it means for Greece

Greek vineyards have many small, scattered plots among terraces and slopes, for example on islands and in mountain zones. Aosta is similar in structure: small holdings, slope, difficult access. The T10 is an earlier generation; for such work today it is worth looking at the Agras T25P, the lightest of the current range.

Rules and responsibilities

In Greece, applying plant protection products from the air, drones included, is prohibited as a rule and allowed only by derogation with a special permit. The study shows what happened in another country; it does not mean the same application is allowed in Greece. The product label always applies, and we do not repeat doses or products here. See the framework in the spraying drone buying guide and confirm it with the competent authority.