The DJI Agras is a series of multirotor agricultural drones released by the Chinese technology company DJI. It was first released in 2015 with a 10 L pesticide tank. Later models gradually increased tank capacity up to 100 L. The Agras was built for aerial application, and is also used for military applications and disease control.
The improved Agras MG-1S was released in November 2016, differing from its predecessor primarily in the addition of a forward/rearward obstacle avoidance system and the capability for both manual and automatic operations.[2][11] The Agras MG-1S RTK was released alongside the standard MG-1S, differing in that it has a built-in real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning module.[2][12] The Agras MG-1SA was released in November 2017 with a first-person view (FPV) camera.[2][11]
The Agras MG-1P and MG-1P RTK were released alongside the MG-1SA in November 2017.[2] The MG-1P series features an FPV camera like the MG-1SA, but also has four XR11001VS spray nozzles and is powered by a DJI MG-12000P battery, giving it a hover time of 20 minutes with a 13.8 kg takeoff weight or 9 minutes with a 23.8 kg takeoff weight.[11][13]
The Agras T16 was released in December 2018 as the successor to the Agras MG-series.[2][14] Unlike its predecessor, the T16 is a hexacopter with six motors driving foldable Model R3390 propellers, with its structure being redesigned to conform to the IP67 environmental rating.[2][15] Tank capacity was increased to 16 L, with pesticides being spread via eight XR11001VS nozzles fed by four delivery pumps.[11][14] The nozzles could also be swapped for the optional XR110015VS model, which increased spray rate from 3.6 L/min to 4.8 L/min.[14] The T16 is capable of satellite navigation with GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo satellites, as well as BeiDou with RTK positioning enabled. The drone also features an FPV camera, an RD2418R digital beamforming (DBF) imaging radar, an obstacle avoidance system, and a 17500 mAh battery giving it a hover time of 18 minutes with a 24.5 kg takeoff weight or 10 minutes with a 39.5 kg takeoff weight.[15]
An enlarged version, the Agras T20, was released in November 2020 with a tank capacity of 20 L and an omnidirectional RD2428R radar.[16] The T20 features eight SX11001VS nozzles with a flow rate of 3.6 L/min as standard, though optional SX110015VS (4.8 L/min flow rate) and XR11002VS (6 L/min flow rate) nozzles were also made available.[17] Battery capacity was increased to 18000 mAh, giving the drone a hover time of 15 minutes with a 27.5 kg takeoff weight or 10 minutes with a 42.6 kg takeoff weight.[17]
Two more models, the Agras T10 quadcopter and Agras T30 hexacopter, were released globally in August 2021 after being made available in China in late-2020.[18] Both drones feature an omnidirectional RD2424R radar, a RD2414U top-view radar, and dual FPV cameras; one forward and one rear.[11][19] The T30 was the flagship model, and features a 30 L tank capacity and 16 SX11001VS nozzles with a flow rate of 7.2 L/min as standard, with optional SX110015VS nozzles (8 L/min flow rate) being offered as well as TX-VK04 nozzles (3.6 L/min flow rate) for use on fruit trees.[19] The smaller T10 features an 8 L tank capacity as standard, with an optional 10 L tank being made available in some regions, and four XR11001VS nozzles with a flow rate of 1.8 L/min as standard, with optional XR110015VS nozzles (2.4 L/min flow rate) and XR11002VS nozzles (3 L/min flow rate) also being offered.[18][20] The T30 is powered by a 29000 mAh battery giving it a hover time of 20.5 minutes with a 36.5 kg takeoff weight or 7.8 minutes with a 66.5 kg takeoff weight, while the T10 has a 9500 mAh giving it a hover time of 17 minutes with a 16 kg takeoff weight or 9 minutes with a 24.8 kg takeoff weight.
In November 2021, DJI released two improved models; the Agras T20P quadcopter and Agras T40 octo-quad.[21] Both models are capable of using BeiDou satellites in both GNSS and RTK navigation modes and feature a gimballed FPV camera, a phased array radar system consisting of an omnidirectional RD2484R and backward/downward-looking RD2484B radar, and a pair of LX8060SZ spray nozzles.[22][23][24] The T40, which replaced the T30 as the flagship model, features a tank with a 40 L capacity and is powered by a 30000 mAh battery giving it a hover time of 18 minutes with a 50 kg takeoff weight, 7 minutes with a 90 kg takeoff weight, or 6 minutes with a 101 kg takeoff weight.[23] The T20P has a 20 L and is powered by a 13000 mAh battery, giving it a hover time of 14.5 minutes with a 32 kg takeoff weight, 7 minutes with a 52 kg takeoff weight, or 6 minutes with a 58 kg takeoff weight.[24]
The Agras T25 quadcopter and Agras T50 octo-quad were released in 2022 to replace the T20P/T40.[25] The T25 retained the 20 L spray tank of the T20P, but can also be fitted with a 35 L tank with an internal load of 25 kg for spreading dry fertilizer.[26][27] Likewise, the T50 also retained the 40 L spray tank of its predecessor, but can also be fitted with a 75 L spreading tank with an internal load of 50 kg.[26][28] Both drones feature two LX8060SZ spray nozzles, though the T50 can be fitted with two additional nozzles to increase flow rate from 16 L/min to 24 L/min.[26][27][28]
The T25P quadcopter was released in China prior to November 2023.[29] The drone features two LX07550SX spray nozzles and retains the DB800 battery of its predecessor.[30][31] The T25P also uses an O3 video transmission system with four antennas, giving it a transmission range of 2 km.[31] The T60 quadcopter was released in China November 2023 and marketed alongside the T25P.[29][32] Compared to the T40, the T60 has new electronic speed controllers (ESC) and more powerful motors, allowing a maximum payload of 60 kg, as well as a new 40000 mAh DB2100 battery and an O4 video transmission system. The T60 also features a two-nozzle spray system as standard, though two additional nozzles can be added to increase flow rate.[29]
Three more variants were released in China in November 2024; the Agras T70 and Agras T70P quadcopters and the Agras T100 octo-quad.[33] Both the T70 and T70P feature a 70 L tank, though the T70 is limited to a payload of 50 L due to its battery size, while the T70P has an upgraded battery allowing it to utilize the full tank.[34] The T100 has a 100 L tank as well as new AI flight algorithms.[33][34]
As part of the Zanzibar Malaria Elimination Program, Agras drones were used test a silicone-based pesticide to prevent malaria-carrying mosquitos from laying eggs in rice paddies in 2019.[35] An Agras MG-1S and T16 were also used test disinfecting procedures at Chicagoland Park in Chicago during the COVID-19 pandemic, though the drones sprayed water rather than disinfectant for the test.[36]
