The Race for the largest spray Drone: Rotor Technologies unveils 110-Gallon Sprayhawk

The first Sprayhawk production aircraft has been completed and is undergoing ground testing ahead of delivery to an agricultural partner in the US Midwest later this year. - Photos: Rotor Technologies

Rotor Technologies, a U.S.-based company, has unveiled the largest agricultural unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) currently available for order. Named the Sprayhawk, this UAV boasts a substantial 110-gallon (416.3 litres) capacity. The initial batch of Sprayhawks will be delivered in spring 2025.

The first production Sprayhawk is now complete and undergoing ground tests. It will be delivered to an agricultural partner in the U.S. Midwest later this year. The first production run will focus on early-access partners, with these Sprayhawks expected to start commercial spraying during the 2025 corn season.

Rotor Technologies, based in Nashua, New Hampshire, is opening up orders for the 2025 model Sprayhawk to customers in both the U.S. and Brazil, with delivery slots available for late 2025 and early 2026. The first 2025 production run will be limited to 15 units. For those who place their orders before December 15, the introductory price is set at US $990,000.

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The Sprayhawk can take off and land vertically and can be operated by a ground crew of just two people.

‘Need for larger aircraft’

Ben Frank, Rotor’s Chief Commercial Officer, highlights the Sprayhawk’s potential to meet the evolving needs of U.S. farmers and aerial applicators. “Many of the drones on the market today are unlikely to stand the test of time. The need for larger and more reliable aircraft is clear”, he says.

The Sprayhawk is designed to cover over 240 acres (97.2 hectares) per hour. It features a Lycoming 6-cylinder aviation engine and can achieve spraying speeds of over 80 miles per hour (130 km/h), with a flight duration of 50 minutes between refuels. Rotor claims that the Sprayhawk matches the performance of manned aircraft in terms of spraying speed and capacity, while significantly reducing operating costs and enhancing safety.

Based on the Robinson R44 helicopter, the Sprayhawk can take off and land vertically and is operable by a minimal ground crew of just two people. It is equipped with a 120-gallon (454 litres) spray tank, 33-foot (10-metre) spray booms, an advanced autonomous spray path and terrain-following algorithms. Additionally, it features camera and LIDAR sensors for obstacle detection and wire avoidance.

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Capabilities of a full-scale helicopter

Rotor CEO Hector Xu asserts that the Sprayhawk merges the capabilities of a full-scale helicopter with the cost effectiveness and safety of a drone. “There’s nothing else on the market that’s as productive, reliable, and future-proof as this.”

Previously, the largest spraying drone available for order was the Brazilian VTol Agrobee 200, which can carry up to 200 kg of pesticides.