Mr. Frans Bunnik (Managing Director) of Bunnik Plants, The Netherlands
The Flying Doctor is spraying robot built with Micron’s atomiser technique with air assistance, based on the Turbair Electrafan 240. The robot has been operating for over two years in an almost completely automated greenhouse of 3 ha. from nursery stock grower (pot plants) owned by Bunnik Plants Bleiswijk in The Netherlands.
Mr. Frans Bunnik (managing director) of Bunnik Plants, says of the ‘Flying Doctor’.
“When we built greenhouse plant ‘Bunnik Plants 3’ a substantial part of our investment was done in environmental friendly systems. An important machine is the spray robot the ‘Flying Doctor’. Before we sprayed with about 1000 to 1500 liter of water per ha. Now with 75 to 100 liters per ha. We are spraying with up to 70 % lower chemical doserates so we gain here big environmental savings. This is due to a better spread and a better crop penetration with the air assistance. Even very difficult insects like ‘thrips ‘ are no problem for the Flying Doctor. The robot works via a remote control, so our crop specialist can stay on save distance. The robot is very suitable for spot spraying with is very important for us because we are using beneficial insects”
Mr. A. van der Valk from company Fa. Van der Valk – Den Drijver Honselersdijk, the Netherlands (Pepper growers).
“We are using the Turbair 12 Volt already one year and we are very enthousiatic about the machine. Our strategy is to minimize the use of agro chemicals by using beneficial insects. But offen infection spot appear, which need chemical treatment. The sooner you spray the better because the spot is still small, so you need less chemical and the balance in the greenhouse between beneficials and ….. insects will not be disturbed. The Turbair is very suitable for quick spot spraying. The Turbair gives a very good penetration in the crop and gives very good results already at plm. 50 % of the standard dose rates.”
