The use of unmanned aerial vehicle for controlling Oryctes rhinoceros beetle on Immature Oil Palm

Abstract

Current constraints on labor supply and human error have triggered interest in using automated technology as an alternative to conventional operations. Hence, Minamas Plantation has embarked on an exploratory trial using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in one of the labor-intensive works in the oil palm industry, which is the prophylactic fortnightly spraying of beetles on immature palms. The trial was conducted between October 2021 and January 2022 at PT Aneka Inti Persada. Three treatments, namely UAV, conventional, and no control, were investigated under two different environments (straight-line and terrace plantings). A randomized complete block design was adopted, with three replicates of immature oil palms planted in 2020. Prior to treatment implementation, all treated palms were georeferenced. The insecticide used was Cypermethrin (5.5% EC) at 20 ml/L of water. Insecticide application by point-to-point spraying was conducted for 4 seconds on each palm (250 ml solution/palm) at 0.5 – 1.5 m above the canopy. Knapsack spraying was performed as per estate practice. No significant difference in fresh damage was recorded between the UAV and knapsack spraying as compared to the control plots. Palms in control plots continued to be inflicted by beetles with more than 5% fresh damage throughout the trial period. The trial concluded that UAV technology has great potential for adoption in daily estate operations. The next step of the trial was to compare the cost-effectiveness between treatments. This study did not carry out the economic analysis due to the scale of the trial.