Summit Agro Chile, a Japanese multinational specializing in sustainable agricultural inputs—with a presence in Chile since 2014 and over 40 years of global experience—provides its customers with a wide range of solutions, including crop protection products, bio stimulants, and technological services to support agriculture.
In the field of agricultural innovation, Summit Agro offers the AgriTech brand, which provides solutions ranging from satellite technologies to proximity sensors, enabling the monitoring of key variables such as the condition, vigor, and health of plants.
In addition, they offer services that make it possible to identify or quantify buds, shoots, and fruits, enabling estimates of quality and yield, and providing relevant information for decision-making in the field. They also highlight services such as high-precision surveying, carried out quickly and efficiently.
Rodrigo Carvallo, national assistant manager of Marketing and Innovation at Summit Agro Chile, notes that among the brand’s main products are spraying drones, which offer the advantage of being very easy to use and highly autonomous. More than 150,000 hectares of crops and fruit trees in Chile are being flown over by DJI drones, which are manufactured in China.
Since the middle of last year, the T100 model—the largest—has been available, representing a significant leap in capabilities for the agricultural sector. It is a highly versatile piece of equipment, capable of adapting to different types of crops and conditions, including complex terrain such as slopes with gradients of up to 50 or 55 degrees.
One of its main advantages is its high level of automation. While it always requires pilot supervision, the drone can perform operations almost autonomously, operating both day and night. This makes it easier for farmers to use, as they can map out their fields and let the equipment carry out applications efficiently and continuously.
“In operational terms, the system with three batteries allows for nearly uninterrupted operation. While one battery is in use, the others take turns charging, which optimizes working times and improves productivity in the field,” he says.
From a production standpoint, the potential impact is significant. According to Carvallo, tasks that currently require multiple tractors and several days of work could be completed in much less time using drones. For example, operations that currently take a week could be carried out in just three days with a more efficient fleet of equipment.
In any case, this tool is intended to complement the traditional machinery that growers use in their fields. These DJI drones can be useful at three key stages in the prune production process: from disease protection in winter to the application of treatments during flowering, the application of blockers, and drying—provided that the label recommendations for each product are followed.
For example, during the winter, heavy rains lead to waterlogged soil and make it difficult for traditional machinery to access orchards. This is a crucial stage for applying preventive treatments against wood diseases. Spray drones solve this problem by operating from the air, applying bio fungicides such as Mamull, which, having SAG authorization as a fungicide for aerial applications, allows for timely and highly effective protection of the trees without the need to wait for the ground to dry.
Training and Legislation
In this context, the company has also launched training initiatives, such as its mobile “DJI Academy,” designed to train pilots throughout Chile. This program not only covers the technical aspects of drone use but also best practices for application across various crops, thereby strengthening the adoption of these technologies in the agricultural sector.
The use of drones in agriculture has also advanced in tandem with regulation. Currently, regulations in Chile are evolving to allow all products authorized for aerial application to be used via drones, opening new opportunities for their widespread adoption. In fact, a large part of Summit Agro’s portfolio—including biological products, fungicides, and insecticides—already holds this type of authorization.
Together, these solutions reflect Summit Agro’s focus on integrating innovation, efficiency, and sustainability, positioning technology as a key driver for the future development of agriculture.
