Yamaha targets ag sector with new drone

Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd has announced the arrival of its newest drone, the FAZER R, that has been developed for use in the agricultural industry.

It currently sits on top of Yamaha's industrial unmanned helicopter line which includes the RMAX that has been in use in Australia for several years.

The FAZER R can carry up to 32 litres of chemical for spraying, and according to Yamaha, is able to spray over four hectares of land without having to refuel or reload, hence increasing efficiency on farms and helps solve labour shortage issues.

A two-cylinder fuel-injected engine powers the FAZER R, which output has been increased to 27.6hp from the original FAZER's 25.6hp. This is due to an enlarged exhaust diameter and increased compression ratio.

A larger fuel tank of 5.8-litres compared to the FAZER's 5-litre tank means operators can spray for longer before having to refuel.

The FAZER R features a 3D wing-shaped tail rotor design which is based on technical guidance provided by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to reduce energy loss during flight.

The helicopter's wireless control range has also been increased to 10 frequencies on the FAZER R for better control of the aircraft.

A remote control comes standard with the FAZER R to operate the machine.

Yamaha will officially be releasing the FAZER R in Japan in November 2016, and will be showcasing it to the public at the 2016 Japan International Aerospace Exhibition to be held at the Tokyo Big Sight (or Tokyo International Exhibition Centre) from October 12.

It has a retail price of 13,424,400 yen (AUD 171,071) in Japan.

Alongside the FAZER R, Yamaha will also be releasing its industrial counterpart, the FAZER R G2 designed for a range of uses including measuring, surveillance, photography and transport.

The FAZER R G2's design is based on the FAZER R, without the spray tank and with the addition of automated flight control systems, a 12-litre fuel tank, and attachments for mounting photography and measurement devices.

It will be available for rent from companies certified to fly these machines from April 2017 onwards.