Search

The regulatory body for aerodromes and its infrastructure in Republic of North Macedonia is Civil Aviation Authority of North Macedonia (CAA). CAA is responsible for the certifying and oversight of the aerodromes around the country. In North Macedonia we have 2 international aerodromes, 5 sport airfields and 6 airfields for agricultural aviation. The international airport Skopje, located in vicinity of the capital Skopje and the international airport St. Apostle Paul in Ohrid. Both of the airports are operated by TAV Macedonia Ltd. since 1st March 2010 and its passenger turnover and capacities increased drastically in the last 5 years. Taking into account their current infrastructure, possibilities for renovation and future increase of their capacity we can say that International airport Skopje is near its maximum capabilities in both terms of infrastructure capacity and possible upgrade to a higher level of classification for instrument approach and runway extension or strengthening to accommodate larger aircrafts. Additionally, both airports in Skopje and Ohrid suffer from specific meteorological condition during the winter months with a foggy days mainly due to their geographic location in valley surrounded by high terrain. Resulting from the foggy days, many flights are delayed or cancelled, with foggy days accounting 7- 9 days per month during January and February in Skopje. As a comparison, some of the airports in the region such as Belgrade airport, Sofia airport or Thessaloniki airport have better infrastructure, longer runways with higher PCN characteristics able to accommodate heavier fleet of aircraft and higher level of classification for instrument approach – CAT IIIB or CAT IIIC, allowing them to continue operations even during heavy fog or no visibility at all. As a comparison, our international airport in Skopje has a classification of CAT I for instrument approaches and due to high terrain in the final approach and the resulting steep glide path of 3.3° is not able to upgrade to CAT II instrument approaches or higher. In order for us to be able to keep up with the airports in our region and be able to offer more on the market and be competitive, the only solution is to build a new airport on a location that will not be affected by obstacles, without the valley effect and foggy days. The new location will need to offer expansion possibilities allowing for new, longer runways to be built and certified for CAT III approaches in order to attract more airlines to open new routes to our country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly used in marine wildlife research. As technological developments rapidly advance the versatility and functionality of affordable UAVs, their potential as a marine aerial survey tool is quickly gaining attention. Currently, there is significant interest in whether cost-effective UAVs can outperform manned aircraft in aerial surveys of marine fauna at sea, although few empirical studies have compared relative sampling efficiency, accuracy and precision. Civil aviation restrictions, and subsequent available civilian technologies, make it unlikely that UAVs will currently be more effective than manned aircraft for large area marine surveys. UAVs do, however, have the capacity to fill a niche for intensive smaller spatial scale sampling and for undertaking aerial surveys in isolated locations. Improvements in UAV sensor resolutions and alternative sensor types, such as multispectral cameras, may increase area coverage, reduce perception error, and increase water penetration for sightability. Additionally, the further development of auto-detection software will rapidly improve image processing and further reduce human observer error inherent in manned aerial surveys. As UAV technologies and associated methodology is further developed and becomes more affordable, these aircraft will be increasingly adopted as a marine aerial survey tool in place of traditional methods using manned aircraft. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores methods developed by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) for weed detection with drones. It mentions how weed detection involved visual inspection and manual crop scouting that deemed greatly inefficient and time-consuming for farmers managing vast arable lands. It discusses how with the advent of drones and advanced data analysis, weed detection can now be done in a seamless and automated manner with drones.

Imazethapyr and imazapic are widely used in South Brazil to control weeds in rice fields, mainly through agricultural aviation. The environmental legislation requires that agricultural aviation companies have environmental licensing, which implies that the effluent treatment system must be compliant with the regulations of the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, which advises the use of an ozone-based system. An evaluation of the efficiency of this system through the analysis of the content of imazethapyr and imazapic (from the herbicide Only®) in the treatment of effluent with two distinct rates of ozone (1.0 and 2.0 g O/h) was performed. It was found that for each tank wash is generated an average volume of 132 L of effluent (112 L of water plus 20 L of surplus diluted spray solution). After the treatment with 1.0 and 2.0 g O/h, imazethapyr concentration decreased − 92.4 and − 95.2%, respectively. For imazapic, the concentration in the washing effluent decreased − 69.1 and − 80.1%, respectively. The results indicate that the system was effective in the treatment of the effluent containing residues of the herbicide Only®. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The aim of this study is to assess and describe possible consequences of a bird strike on a Polish-designed PZL-106 Kruk agricultural aircraft. Due to its susceptibility to such events, a wing slat has been chosen for analysis.Design/methodology/approach Smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) formulation has been used for generation of the bird finite element model. The simulations were performed by the LS-Dyna explicit finite element analysis software. Several test cases have been analysed with differing parameters such as impact velocity, initial velocity vector direction, place of impact and bird mass.Findings Results of this study reveal that the structure remains safe after an impact at the velocity of 25 m/s. The influence of bird mass on slat damage is clearly observable when the impact velocity rises to 60 m/s. Another important finding was that in each case where the part did not withstand the applied load, it was the lug where first failure occurred. Some of the analysed cases indicated the possibility a consequent wing box damage.Practical implications This finding provides the manufacturer an important insight into the behaviour of the slat and suggests that more detailed analysis of the current lug design might improve the safety of the structure.Originality/value Even though similar analyses have been performed, they tended to focus on large transport aircraft components. This investigation will enhance our understanding of structural response of small, low-speed aircraft to a bird impact, which is a realistic scenario for the chosen case of an agricultural plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adopting the principle that it is better to self-regulate than to be regulated; voluntary accreditation schemes have been introduced by a range of high-hazard industries to lift safety and environmental performance. Both industries and regulators need to know if such programmes are effective. This paper presents a comparative case study of safety and environmental performance for a voluntary industry-led accreditation programme (Aircare) in the New Zealand agricultural aviation sector. The study hypotheses relate to rates of reported: • Accidents • Incursions and other incidents • Discharge and low flying occurrences • Equipment defects While there were observed differences in rates for the above occurrence types between accredited, transitional and non-accredited operators, none of these was found to be statistically significant, therefore the null hypotheses could not be rejected. An additional sensitivity test was undertaken in which all examined occurrences were combined into one variable “all events”. Non-accredited operators had a higher rate of these combined occurrences (risk ratio 1.32) and this finding was significant at a 90%, one-tailed, level of confidence. The additional test suggests that statistically significant results may emerge as more data becomes available. This finding indicates that participation in robust voluntary safety and environmental programmes may be associated with lead indicators of safer operations and fewer environmental incidents. Participation in such programmes may therefore convey important information on likely future safety and environmental performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rubidium chloride (RbCl) was used as a tracer tank-mixed with active ingredients to profile downwind deposition of aerially applied crop protection and production materials to characterize off-target drift, which helps improve spray efficiency and reduce environmental contamination. Mylar sheets were placed on a holder in the field at each sampling station to collect sprayed solution. RbCl tracer was used to assess downwind drift of nozzles mounted on the booms installed and controlled on both sides of an agricultural airplane. The experiment was conducted on a field covered by Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon). During the experiment, the airplane was planned to fly three passes with three replications at each of three different altitudes, 3.7 m, 4.9 m, and 6.1 m for total of 27 flight runs. The results indicated that sampling station location had a significant effect on RbCl concentration. However, application release altitude was not significant to the change of RbCl. Another practical application in the same aerial application system was used to assess crop injury from the off-target drift of aerially applied glyphosate. RbCl concentrations measured from Mylar sheets were correlated with visual injury, plant height, shoot dry weight, leaf chlorophyll content, and shikimate, which were measured from the leaves and plant samples collected. Overall, RbCl is an effective tracer for monitoring spray applications from agricultural aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles to intensify agriculture output and minimize environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern technologies and information tools can be used to maximize agricultural aviation productivity allowing for precision application of agrochemical products. This paper reviews and summarizes the state-of-the-art in precision agricultural aviation technology highlighting remote sensing, aerial spraying and ground verification technologies. Further, the authors forecast the future of precision agricultural aviation technology with key development directions in precision agricultural aviation technologies, such as real-time image processing, variable-rate spraying, multi-sensor data fusion and RTK differential positioning, and other supporting technologies for UAV-based aerial spraying. This review is expected to provide references for peers by summarizing the history and achievements, and encourage further development of precision agricultural aviation technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cited situation of articles in a journal by the journals covered in SCI (Science Citation Index) database is an important symbol of the influence and internationalized level. Based on the index and statistics of SCI database, Author analyzed the data of all the articles cited by the journals covered in SCI, which were from Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering (Transactions of the CSAE) since founded. The results indicate that from 1985 to 2015, a total number of 3 150 articles are cited and the accumulative citation frequency is 6 871; There are 27 articles of Transactions of the CSAE with top 5 accumulative citation frequency by SCI database in recent 5 years, and the categories of these articles are agricultural information, soil and water engineering, agricultural bioenvironmental and energy engineering, land consolidation and rehabilitation engineering, and agricultural aviation ; There are 10 articles of Transactions of the CSAE with top 5 accumulative citation frequency by SCI database in 30 years, and 5 of them are related to straw resources, the top one citation frequency is 52. 6 045 authors from 86 countries have cited the articles of Transactions of the CSAE and the Chinese Academy of Sciences ranks the first for producing the SCI-cited articles; agriculture and environmental sciences ecology are leading subjects of the articles; and these SCI-cited articles are mainly funded by the National Nature Science Foundation of China. The analysis suggests that the number of SCI-cited articles of Transactions of the CSAE has significantly increased and achieved a high scale. The journals which cite articles of Transactions of the CSAE rank the middle level in the world. In future, Transactions of the CSCE should accept more basic research articles related to energy, environment and ecology, and more articles related to emerging and hot research areas such as agricultural information，land consolidation and rehabilitation engineering and agricultural aviation, and improve the internationalized level to attract more oversea researchers attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to determine the Nomoto model maneuverability indices of an agricultural unmanned airboat which was developed to perform autonomous weeding and paddy growth monitoring in a paddy field. A global positioning system compass and an inertial measurement unit were attached on the airboat body to record the position, heading and angular rate. The zig-zag experiments were adopted to obtain the maneuverability indices. The Matlab-based maneuvering simulations were conducted and compared with field experimental data of circular motion test and sinusoidal running test, respectively. The results showed that the trace error was at sub-meter level, which expounds the validity of the obtained maneuvering indices. The proposed Nomoto model maneuverability indices can be used to improve the airboat precise automatic control in paddy field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has undergone rapid development in field of agricultural plant protection; however, the payload and max-endurance are bottlenecks that limit its further development. Tensairity is a new structure consisting of a bag filled with low-pressure gas, an upper rigid rod and a lower flexible cable. It puts tension pressure on the whole structure through internal gas pressure, provides continuous support to the upper rigid rod, and that is to say, the tensairity improves the stability of the structure in some way. And also, tensairity is a self-supporting and self-balancing system, which means it is a simple, lightweight structure with small storage volume, strong bearing capacity, and low engineering cost. It also has the advantages of gasbag and BSS (beam string structure). The main objective of this research was to introduce the theoretical basis of tensairity and then discussed its development and applications. Moreover, the advantages and disadvantages of tensairity were summarized, and development prospects of tensairity in agricultural aviation were presented. At last, it can be concluded that tensairity has potentials in agricultural aviation. If tensairity is applied in agricultural UAVs, it will solve the two major problems of payload and max-endurance better, and help promoting the development of agricultural aviation technology in agricultural aviation administration and application. Also, it will help with meeting the aerial application requirements of high efficiency and maximal environmental protection. This research will provide a reference for improving working efficiency and economic benefits of UAVs in agricultural plant protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine proper flight parameters of an unmanned helicopter for tea plantation frost protection, field experiments were conducted to study the impact of flight height, speed and interval on airflow disturbance and temperature rise around tea canopies based on the analysis and simulation of frost protection with a certain helicopter. The relationship between temperature rise after flight and the above flight parameters was established through a regression orthogonal experiment, based on which the optimal combination of flight parameters was obtained through the single-factor golden section method. The results showed that wind speed around tea canopies decreased with the increase of flight height when flight speed was constant. There was a multivariate linear relationship between temperature rise and flight parameters, and the sequence of flight parameters' influence on frost protection effect was flight interval, flight height, flight speed. The optimal combination of flight parameters were flight height of 4.0 m, flight speed of 6.0 m/s and flight interval of 20 min. After the flight with the above parameters air temperature around tea canopies increased 1.6°C when background thermal inversion strength was 3.8°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the use of the DHC-2 Beaver transport airplane as an agricultural aircraft in Australia and India. Particular focus is given to the Agricultural Combination model of the plane introduced by de Havilland Aircraft of Canada in 1954. Details on the plane's use in the aerial top dressing, or fertilizing, of crops by the Australian firm Aerial Agriculture are presented. According to the author, the Beaver was well-suited for this use because of its ability to operate from short, unprepared landing strips. The use of Beaver aircrafts to carry out pesticide spraying and fertilizing by India's Ministry of Food and Agriculture is also discussed.

Abstract: We tested methylcyclohexenone (MCH), an anti-aggregation pheromone for the Douglas-fir beetle (Dendroctonus pseudotsugae), for protection of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) stands by applying MCH-releasing polymer flakes by helicopter twice during summer 2006 to five 4.05-ha plots in the State of Washington, USA. Five similar plots served as untreated controls. We assessed D. pseudotsugae flight into study plots using baited pheromone traps, and tallied D. pseudotsugae attack rates on all P. menziesii trees in 2005 and 2006. We also measured stand basal area and incorporated that as an explanatory variable in the analysis. Significantly fewer D. pseudotsugae were trapped in treated plots than in control plots, and significantly fewer P. menziesii trees were attacked in treated plots than in control plots. The attack rate in untreated stands was nearly 10 times that of treated plots, and stands with higher basal area were significantly more likely to be attacked by D. pseudotsugae than were stands of lower basal area. Attack rates in 2006 and 2005 were significantly correlated, regardless of treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A particle ballistics model is proposed to predict the landing position of granular fertilizer particles ejected from fixed-wing agricultural aircraft. The model is a single-particle model that predicts flight trajectory from the particle force balance based on the aircraft ground speed, axial and tangential propeller wash, wind characteristics, and particle properties including sphericity. As an input, the model relies on known exit velocities from the spreader device mounted underneath the aircraft. When simplified, the mathematics for a particle falling vertically in quiescent air is the same as that developed by Grift et al., 1997[Trans. ASAE 40(1): 13-20]. Without the propeller wash model, comparison is made to the lateral prediction of Bansal et al., 1998 [Trans. ASAE 41(3): 537-544], who used a simpler model for which similar results and similar trends are obtained. Lastly, with the propeller wash model turned on, model predictions are compared to predictions from AGDISP 8.15. Again, results and trends are similar. The model takes the first step in creating a system to evaluate the performance of agricultural aircraft with respect to delivering variable-rate application technology. The next step is to include a gatebox/distributor model so that a transverse spread distribution pattern can be generated by running the model multiple times, and then to validate this against field measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]