Pyka: autonomous agricultural drone capable of pollinating 55 hectares / hour.

About the developer

Pyka LLC is an American company based in Palo Alto, California that develops and manufactures Pyka autonomous electric aircraft that make the process of applying agrochemicals safe, easy, fast, accurate and economical - even in difficult terrain.

It is known that Pyka LLC raised $ 11 million for the development of the startup from such giants as Prime Movers Lab, Y Combinator, Greycroft, Daa Collective and Bold Capital Partners.

Features

Below are the main features of the Pyka drone presented by the developer.

Payload 204 kg
46 m is enough for takeoff and landing
Reliable power plant consists of three BLDC motors controlled by a proprietary controller
Powerplant 20 kW
Cruising speed 145 km / h
Equipped with a greenfield spray system based on a patented high-speed centrifugal pump
The spray system is controlled by a software controlled variable speed application that delivers chemicals exactly where they are needed
Application speed (including refueling, turning and replacement of the battery): 34 hectares / hour with a water consumption of 18.9 l / hectare; 55 hectares / hour at a water flow rate of 7.6 l / hectares
The autonomous flight system ensures accurate and safe operation, allowing the aircraft not only to perform accurate flight at ultra-low altitudes, but also avoid obstacles encountered
Multi-level control coupled with automatic failover provide highly reliable autonomous control
Separate high-level processors coupled with highly reliable FPGA (FPGA or Field-Programmable Gate Array) guarantee the versatility and safety of the flight computer from Pyka LLC
Powered by redundant, replaceable lithium polymer batteries
For accurate autonomous flight, the operator only needs to enter the basic parameters of the mission, and the patented software will provide everything else (Taxi, Takeoff, Flight, Landing)
Thanks to the latest 3D aerial mapping technology and optimized flight path planning, the plane always knows where the obstacles are and how to get around them
Can operate both in a wide area and in small areas
Able to follow a given trajectory with an accuracy of one meter, both horizontally, and vertically, even in gusty conditions
Thanks to the built-in sensors, it sprays on precise trajectories, with constant wind correction (to minimize drift). This uses fewer chemicals per hectare and dramatically reduces the risk of accidental spills.
Consumes less energy than electric vehicles and have very few moving parts, giving them versatility in the air at a competitive price.

Appearance

Availability

stage of launch. To clarify information on cooperation and acquisition, the developer asks to contact them using one of several methods available on the official website.