29 Jul J100 Product Update – 60lt Tank
J100 – 60lt Tank Option
There is currently a great deal of interest in the latest range of Agriculture Spray Drones and increased capacities available. Sometimes, focusing on the latest product offerings can result in missing the great capabilities of current products.
While relatively new in our area, worldwide, the J100 has good runs on the board. Just in the US alone, it has clocked up over 110k hectares, and with over 2000 operating, that figure is growing fast.
The J150 offers a 70L tank, 100lt spreader, 12-minute flight time at max take-off weight and some improved obstacle avoidance capability. But let’s have a closer look at some other comparisons to the J100.
J150 Specifications
- 149.9 kg max Take-off weight
- Empty weight 75kg (including Battery)
- Max Payload 74.9kg
- 70lt liquid tank
- 100lt Spreader Tank
- Flight Time at Max Weight, approx 12min
- 45aH battery
- 13,000w charger (single phase)
- 9min charge @ max charge rate (30% to 95%)
J100 Specifications
- 115kg max Take-off weight
- Empty Weight 54kg (including Battery)
- Max Payload 60kg
- 60lt liquid Tank
- 70lt Spreader Tank
- Flight Time at Max Weight, approx 9min
- 29aH battery
- 9000w charger
- 9min charge @ max charge rate (30% – 95%)
With everything considered, the J150 is going to be a great aircraft for larger operations of teams covering broad-acre environments. When operating with multiple aircraft, you can achieve coverage rates comparable to other, more traditional delivery methods. With this extra capacity comes additional ground support considerations. To get the most out of any drone you need to make sure you have sufficient battery charging capability, tank filling options and the ability to lift the drone at times.
With EAvision batteries and chargers, they can be charged using any single-phase, dual-outlet at any level, right down to 1000W. But to achieve the minimum charge time, you need a generator that will deliver the appropriate amount of watts required.
Fast fill needs are applicable to both aircraft.
Sometimes you need to lift the drone. Wether it be for getting it in and out of transport, maintenance or after some form of forced landing. Even without the battery, with the J150, it’s going to be a challenge for single-person operators.
Not sure if the J150 fits into your workflow….
Maybe the J100 with the optional 60lt tank is worth considering. The J100 is a highly capable aircraft in complex environments. It already has dual LiDar and radar capability and advanced flight planning options. But is the combination of tank size and flight time good enough?
A number of treatment scenarios require high application rates (60 – 80lt/ha). With some conservative parameters, both aircraft can cover 1ha in about 4 min. So at high application rates and efficient flight planning, the tank will be empty before the battery becomes an issue. Yes this is only valid for the high application rates. But in any application, your best option is to always balance the amount of payload to the flight time. (ie you don’t just fill the tank in every scenario)
So, in summary, the J150’s tank is 15% bigger than the J100’s. But you need to consider the whole operation. Is that 15% enough to make up for all of the other considerations?
Lastly, we have been given a preview of new products that on the horizon with EAvision. From what we can tell the 60lt tank option is not being provided. It may change but right now the J100 is the only one that provides this option.
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