Location: Heiningen, North Brabant
Crop: Tulips
Problem: Slug damage in wet conditions
Solution: DJI Agras T50 with granular spreader via ABdrone
Time: January 2025
The situation: wet land, slugs, and a need for quick action
In January, a tulip grower in Heiningen noticed traces of slugs in his field. The young tulips were still underground, but slime trails gave a clear signal of slug activity. Not a shock at the time, but if you do nothing, you could easily lose thousands of euros. With a crop value of easily €23,000 per hectare, that's not a risk you want to take.
The problem: the field was wet.
A tractor couldn't get through without deep ruts or damage, so spreading by hand? That's impossible on that scale, especially if you need to act quickly.
The solution: a drone with a pellet spreader
The farmer called in ABdrone – a specialist in drone applications in agriculture. Within a short time, Leks Bolderdijk was on the farm with a DJI Agras T50 equipped with a spreading module. This allowed him to apply organic slug pellets at a rate of 8 kg per hectare.
"I'd never seen it before, but it worked flawlessly. No hassle with machines or tracks in the field."
Well prepared, neatly executed
The spreading system was tested beforehand by placing a collection tray under the drone to ensure the exact amount. No waste, no shortages. Then, the field was digitally divided into lanes, and the drone could do its work independently, with a working width of about 6 to 8 meters.
In no time, the field was treated, without anyone having to trudge through the mud. The drone flew its routes accurately and evenly distributed the granules across the field.
The result: a peaceful crop.
A few days later, the difference was visible: no new tracks, and the plants could continue growing undisturbed. The farmer was pleasantly surprised by the effectiveness and simplicity of the approach.
What this approach achieved:
✔ Quickly deployable, even in bad weather
✔ No soil damage from heavy machinery
✔ Exactly the right amount of granules
✔ No labor required in the field
✔ A reliable partner with agricultural expertise
Advice to fellow growers
“If you have a wet field and you need to act quickly, just call a drone service. It saves you time, effort, and risk. Your crop is worth it.”
