Mobile hub aims to automate drone spraying seeding and spreading
ZenaTech, a technology company focused on artificial intelligence, drone services, has announced a new project aimed at improving agricultural drone operations. Through its subsidiary ZenaDrone, the company is developing a mobile agricultural drone operations trailer that is expected to make drone-based farming services faster, more efficient, and easier to manage.
The trailer is currently being built and tested at the company's facility in Mesa, Arizona. It is designed to serve as a mobile operations center that can transport drones, support field activities, and automate several important tasks needed during farming operations.
“Our customers want more acres covered, jobs completed faster, and lower service costs. Developing a mobile operations trailer to support multiple drones, with spraying, seeding, and spreading capabilities and automated battery recharging, is aimed squarely at those needs,” said fPassley, Ph.D., ZenaTech CEO. “We are starting development and testing in precision agriculture, with the goal of extending this approach across our Drone as a Service applications. For ZenaTech’s DaaS business, the opportunity is to serve more customers with each crew and drone fleet, supporting stronger margins and a more scalable service business.”
One of the main goals of the trailer is to support Drone as a Service (DaaS) operations. Instead of requiring farmers and businesses to purchase and manage their own drone fleets, the DaaS model allows customers to access drone technology as a service. This approach helps reduce costs while providing access to advanced drone capabilities.
The new trailer is being configured to work with ZenaDrone's IQ Octo drone. The IQ Octo is a medium-sized autonomous drone equipped with eight motors and designed specifically for precision agriculture. The drone is capable of spraying crops, planting seeds, and spreading agricultural materials with limited human involvement. It operates on battery power and can carry up to 25 kilograms of liquid products or seed while following programmed flight paths.
A key feature of the mobile trailer is its ability to automate many field operations. The system is designed to handle battery charging, payload replenishment, drone deployment, and recovery directly from the trailer. This reduces the need for manual work and helps keep drones operating for longer periods in the field.
The trailer includes a retractable top cover and adjustable panels that allow drones to launch and land directly from the unit. Its compact design also makes it suitable for transportation between work sites, helping crews move quickly from one farm or project location to another.
Another important feature is its planned ability to support drone swarm operations. The trailer is designed to manage up to five drones working together on the same job. Multiple drones operating simultaneously can cover larger areas in less time, increasing productivity and improving service capacity.
In agriculture, the system will initially focus on spraying, seeding, and spreading operations. By carrying supplies directly to the job site and automatically refilling payloads, the trailer is intended to reduce interruptions and keep drones working efficiently throughout the day.
Automated battery charging is another major advantage. Traditional drone operations often require workers to manually replace or recharge batteries, which can slow down productivity. The new trailer aims to reduce downtime by handling much of this process automatically, allowing drones to return to the air more quickly.
According to the company, these improvements are expected to help complete jobs faster, lower operating costs, and increase the number of acres that can be covered in a single day. More efficient operations could also help service providers improve profitability while delivering better value to customers.
Although the first application is focused on precision agriculture, the trailer may eventually be adapted for additional industries. Potential future uses include land surveying, infrastructure inspections, construction projects, and other commercial drone services. This flexibility could allow the technology to support a wide range of field operations beyond farming.
The project remains in the prototype stage, and testing will continue in the coming months. Company officials say further updates will be provided as the trailer reaches additional development milestones and undergoes real-world evaluations.
Photo Credit: zenadrone-iq-octo-top-view