According to scientists, the reason farming has to use Neonicotinoids is to combat the many predators that are ready to pounce on corn or soybean seeds, every time they are sown in the ground. Seeds are impregnated with drugs before sowing. Photo: Scientific Beekeeping What are neonicotinoids? Neonicotinoid has been banned for use in Australia and Europe since 2013. This is a pesticide derived from nicotine (the addictive substance found in tobacco), the way to use is to dissolve in water and spray on plants. for the plants to absorb themselves, forming an artificial “immune system” to protect the crops. Neoincotinoids are thought to be effective against pests and insects, but are safe for mammals. However, because of its strong effect on insects, it also affects bees directly, reducing the number of pollinators. This pesticide is said to reduce the sperm count of male bees by up to 40%, as well as reduce their lifespan from an average of 22 days to 15 days, thus reducing the chances of male bees fertilizing the queen bee. also decreased. Besides disease, soil-dwelling pests such as helminths and larvae can also damage seeds and seedlings, along with terrestrial insects such as bean leaf beetles and aphids. seeds and saplings. Therefore, in the field of seed treatment against insects and diseases, farmers often treat seeds in combination with fungicides (IST) to help plants sprout straight and grow early. It is easy to mention some of the popular Neonicotinoid IST methods such as Imidacloprid (Gaucho, Bayer Crop Science), Clothianidin (Poncho, BASF) and Thiamethoxam (Cruiser, Syngenta)… Seth Naeve, an agronomist specializing in soybean research at the University of Minnesota Extension (USA), said that Neonicotinoid insecticides are highly water-soluble, helping to activate protection from insects. Great early season. Shawn Potter, Syngenta’s head of seed care product marketing, said that the growth of the seeds after treatment was driven in part by previous seasons. “Early seeding from a wet, cool, or both, seeds and seedlings will be exposed to various diseases. “Without seed treatment, crops could be damaged early on,” said Mr Potter. Nick Tinsley, BASF technical specialist, added: “Farmers and retailers alike can easily treat corn and soybean seeds with Neonicotinoid insecticides as well as fungicides from the company. producers to protect crops”. For decades, seed companies have treated corn with fungicides. However, IST only started to be added to the fungicide seed treatment of soybeans in the early 2000s. Studies have demonstrated that a combination of seed treatment with both fungicides and insecticides increases soybean yield per acre by 2 bushels (equivalent to 72.74 kg/0.4 ha). According to Mr. Potter, in general, each “shift” of treating soybean pest/mushroom combos will cost from 10 to 12 USD per seed unit (ranging from 80,000 to 140,000 seeds/0.4 ha). That’s because 70% of treatment costs go to pesticides, while the profit-taking rate per acre is between $16 and $17. This assumes that soybeans cost $12 per bushel and that the cost of the pesticide seed treatment is between $7 and $7.50 per seed unit. Entomologists in the Midwest and South America have also observed that the average soybean yield spike of 2 bushels per acre from this combination. “Some years are higher, some years are lower,” says Sebe Brown, an entomologist at the University of Louisiana. Responses tended to be higher in cases where soybeans were planted early, two crops, or planted after a cover crop.” Gus Lorenz, a scientist at the University of Arkansas, adds: “Companies have provided growers with insurance to maintain good standing. At current seed prices, the cost of treating seeds with pesticides is a good investment.” A synthesis of studies in a 2019 report representing agronomists and entomologists from 14 universities found that the best recorded soybean yield was an increase of 3.3 bushels per acre. after using the combined seed treatment solution. However, in some cases in Minnesota, the benefits are so small that it is argued that farmers should not be encouraged to use seed treatments or should apply them selectively. Concerns Previously, scientists believed that neonicotinoid pesticides were the main cause of the decline in bee populations and pollinators worldwide. A few years ago, the United Nations published alarming figures: In the first 10 years of the 21st century, the number of bees in the world has decreased by 85% in the Middle East, about 30% in the US and Europe. Neonicotinoids are likened to “birth control pills” for bees and reduce the population of bees. Photo: GCM Bees are the intermediate species that help pollinate more than 75% of the world’s food and fruit crops, so a decrease in the number of bees also means a reduced crop or even a crop failure. However, long-term studies by Syngenta suggest that the health effects of bees are negligible when using Neonicotinoid seed treatments to kill insects. According to Mr. Potter, what many experts agree on is that the health of bees depends on the interaction of factors such as parasites, disease, nutritional health and weather phenomena. A 2019 study published in the journal Scientific Reports detailed the effects that imidacloprid had on white-tailed deer. When imidacloprid (an insecticide that acts as an insect CNS toxin, belonging to the genus Neonicotinoids) was increased in the animal’s spleen, factors such as progeny viability, length of jawbone, body weight and visceral weight all decreased. Records show that at least 60% of white-tailed deer killed indicate the presence of Imidacloprid. According to expert Jonathan Lundgren, all insecticides can negatively impact mammals and bees. “The use of insecticides is so widespread these days that they are present in almost every growing system across the United States and are truly binding. These insecticides are affecting ecosystems in ways that we could not have foreseen.” Meanwhile, the companies that manufacture and trade in Neonicotinoid seed treatments have always denied this and asserted that “the products are safe if used according to the instructions on the label”. Compounds such as polymers coat the seeds or products like Bayer Fluency Agent Advanced to help prevent release into the environment, said Chip Graham, Bayer Crop Science’s North American director of seed development. “Initially we had really low dust levels, but these products ensure that pesticides remain on the seeds and reduce contamination levels during the growing process,” said Mr. What is the future of farming? Instead of treating seeds with neonicotinoid insecticides, Mr. Lundgren called for regenerative methods, such as tilling and changing seasons, increasing crop diversity as well as reducing pest pressure. bugs, insects. “Farmers need to understand that these seed treatments really don’t help them much,” said Lundgren. Neonicotinoid pesticides are believed to reduce bee pollinators, threatening food security. Photo: TN Meanwhile, expert Graham said that banning this seed treatment would be detrimental to farmers because “there are currently no foliar sprays to treat early-season insects as a rescue application”, so ” Seed treatment in this way is most effective to provide activity against early-season pests of maize and soybean.” Agronomist Naeve said: “They’re a good example of how the best tools we’ve ever had in agriculture, but it’s not a good idea to treat the entire soybean acreage. They can be a double-edged sword.”

Upgraded Russian Mi-28NM attack helicopter. Photo: TASS The demonstration of the complex technical features of the Mi-28NM attack helicopter will be one of the most awaited events of MASK-2021. “The Mi-28NM helicopter has undergone many upgrades after being tested on the Syrian battlefield. Engineers have successfully experimented in real combat conditions to present the most powerful version of the ‘iron bird’ in the Russian air force,” said Professor Vadim Kozyulin of the Russian Academy of Military Sciences. . In terms of structure, the cockpit of the Mi-28NM is reinforced more firmly, with an air-conditioning system, with additional protective armor, including a metal front windshield that is resistant to 12 bullets, 7 mm. The cabin has an additional layer of glass that separates the compartment between the two pilots, minimizing the possibility of the main pilot and the pilot pilot dying at the same time from enemy fire. The iron frame of the Mi-28NM is capable of withstanding 20mm anti-aircraft shells. With this design, for the first time, the principle of separating the cockpit between the main pilot and the pilot pilot was applied. In the event of an emergency when the plane is above 100 m above the ground, the crew can parachute to escape when the plane crashes and crashes. The emergency exit system will be activated by the main pilot and the pilot pilot separately. Mi-28NM is equipped with a powerful weapon system and firepower. Photo: TASS According to Dmitry Litovkin, CEO of Independent Military Review, the Mi-28NM is the latest version of the Mi-28N series of helicopters. It is enhanced with many tactical features, especially combat power. The helicopter is equipped with high-precision weapons, has a new control system integrated with artificial intelligence (AI). Mi-28NM is compatible, join the battle formation with helicopters, UAVs and other aircraft on the battlefield. In terms of firepower, the Mi-28NM heavy attack helicopter is equipped with a variety of powerful weapons systems, including new-generation multipurpose missiles and various bombs. The helicopter can attack stationary and moving targets within a radius of 8-10 km. Notably, this improved attack helicopter is also equipped with a suicide drone. Helicopters can enter a predefined combat area and launch one or more drones from the cockpit. Once the target has been identified, the crew will report the data and monitor the kill launch process. Mi-28NM is capable of operating in all weather conditions, can fly in both automatic and manned modes, and is adaptable to all types of terrain. One of the most practical improvements in the Mi-28NM is the crew’s “double control” mode. In the event that the main pilot is injured or killed, the pilot can still control the helicopter. This is a feature that does not appear on other Mi-28N series. Another improvement is that Mi-28NM is equipped with a radar system in the cockpit, capable of scanning around the aircraft, with a scanning angle of up to 90 degrees horizontally and 44 degrees vertically, helping to detect Display and locate multiple targets at the same time.

According to Mr. Hoang Trung, Director of the Plant Protection Department, the use of drones in pesticide spraying has many advantages compared to traditional methods. Currently, many countries such as China, Japan, Korea … have also applied this technology, especially the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is also interested in and testing this technology in some countries. Africa to control the desert locust epidemic. In recent years, the use of flying equipment in pesticide spraying in our country has become more and more popular. However, there are still many issues that need to be studied when using this device. Photo: TL. With the initiative in the past time, businesses have gone through many channels, imported drones with diverse configurations and capacities … showing the ability to apply this new technology solution quite effectively in pest control. on plants. Later, the drone can also be applied to sowing seeds in the Mekong Delta provinces or to apply foliar fertilizers … In addition to the benefits such as user safety, large capacity, time-saving …, this device also has some issues to be clarified. Accordingly, it is necessary to have a scientific basis, to guide effectively and strictly according to the provisions of law. Currently, there are no official results to confirm that using drones in pesticide spraying helps reduce the amount of pesticides. In the FAO guidelines for use, the drone is still just a tool that must use pesticides in accordance with the dosage stated on the label. In addition, there is the current situation, many places have overstated information and advertising that any crop, any form of medicine can use drones. This is information that has absolutely no scientific basis. The Plant Protection Department recognizes the results from the initiative of enterprises and organizations in researching and applying scientific and technological achievements to production. However, to use it effectively, there is a scientific basis and in accordance with the law. Therefore, in the coming time, it is necessary to have more in-depth and comprehensive studies and evaluations on both the efficiency of use as well as the technical and economic efficiency of the drone. In particular, it is necessary to evaluate the safety level of using drones in pesticide spraying for other objects in the area of ​​use such as aquatic products, bees, etc. In addition, it is necessary to delve into techniques and find out the forms drugs, biological effects can be used appropriately and effectively with drones. Secondly, it is necessary to study plant objects suitable for the use of drones in pesticide spraying. For example, in areas where scattered trees and industrial crops are grown, the use of drones can be said to be ineffective, or as objects on the underside of leaves such as mosquito bugs, anthracnose, etc. Therefore, harmful organisms also need to be evaluated and classified to apply drones appropriately in spraying pesticides. For example, objects lying in the trunk, on the ground, weeds clinging to the base have almost no effect when using a drone. The Department of Plant Protection will also study to provide guidance on the form of drugs to be used with drones. From the perspective of a state management agency, the Department is responsible for clarifying this issue. The use of drones in the past time has been effective and has many advantages on rice, but there have been no scientific studies on other crops. Illustrative photos. Hoang Trung also said that the mechanism of action of the drugs also needs to be evaluated before being used with drones. In addition, it is necessary to evaluate the plant objects and harmful objects that can use drones in spraying effectively. On the other hand, it will be necessary to evaluate and classify according to the capacity and specifications of the drone corresponding to the appropriate crop objects. For example, a large-capacity drone can be suitable for spraying pesticides for rice or some crops, but cannot be used for vegetables because it will destroy the plants… From the above assessments, the goal of the Plant Protection Department is to work with businesses to come up with procedures and documentation for using drones across the country. In addition, the Department will also develop standards for testing pesticides used by drones. Many concerns about the limitations of drones At the meeting, some opinions suggested that there should be more specific and scientific studies in the application of drones in pesticide spraying. According to a representative of the Southern Pesticide Testing Center (Pesticide Department), in order to spray effectively, pesticides must be able to contact the objects that need to be protected or destroyed. However, the use of drones may have many limitations in pesticide spraying such as difficulty in contact with pests and diseases such as brown planthoppers, dry streaks below for rice or thick canopy trees… In addition, the use of drones will use less water than traditional also reduces the effectiveness of the drug. Another problem is that using a drone causes the particles to fall freely but slowly, so it is possible that some of the medicine will evaporate before reaching the leaves. Using a drone with a more concentrated drug concentration than traditional spraying can also cause acute poisoning of plants. In addition, the use of drones will cause waste of pesticides, affecting the ecological environment if used for scattered crops. The Center for Plant Protection in the South (Department of Plant Protection) said that the application of drones in the Mekong Delta is increasingly popular on rice and some fruit trees. Many farmers rate drones as highly effective against pests located at the top of the foliage. The use of drones in pesticide spraying still has many limitations that need to be studied. Photo: TL. However, with trees with uneven heights in the same area such as coconuts, the ability to contact leaves is not optimal because the drone can only fly at a certain stable height that cannot be continuously changed. The height is suitable for each height of the crop, leading to the not equally optimal distance of pesticides to the top of the tree. The Northern Center for Plant Protection also said that it is necessary to study and evaluate the effectiveness of drones and devise ways to use each drug. In addition, there is a need to have scientific assessments of the effects on the environment and plants when using drones to spray pesticides with high concentrations (due to less water). Because normally, the amount of water when spraying pesticides is 400-500 l/ha, while using a drone it is only about 15 l/ha. Mr. Nguyen Quy Duong, Deputy Director of the Plant Protection Department suggested that in the coming time, there should be more assessments on the process and effectiveness of using drones for intercropping areas. According to Mr. Duong, in the Mekong Delta, people now use pre-germination herbicides and except yellow apple snails at the same time, so there is a need for studies on the possibility of using mixed drugs when spraying with drones. In addition, it is necessary to have a baseline standard for testing devices and forms of medicine to come here, it is necessary to clearly state on the drug label the dose used (amount of water) when used with a drone. The Plant Protection Department said that based on the results of businesses and units that have applied drones over the past time, as well as international experience, the Plant Protection Department will develop a master plan to continue researching. Research and perfect both equipment and processes to use in a scientific, safe and most effective way for the application of drones in plant protection. In the immediate future, the Department of Plant Protection suggests that it is necessary to focus on researching and perfecting the drone application process for 5 groups of liquid drugs including EC, SC, SE, SL, ME; 4 groups of solid drugs including WP, SP, WG, GR. Regarding plants, focus on researching and perfecting the process of applying drones to rice (focusing on leaf rollers, brown planthoppers, rice blasts, powdery mildew, herbicides); fall and powdery mildew on corn; aphids, downy mildew on fruit trees (especially citrus, mango, litchi; industrial plants such as coffee, tea, and cashew; caterpillars on pine trees and silkworms on cruciferous vegetables).

“In the short term, the District People’s Committee will support 100% of the budget for the people. Besides fighting the epidemic, it is also very important to ensure economic and social stability for the people,” Dong said. Mr. Vuong Quoc Tuan, Vice Chairman of Bac Ninh Provincial People’s Committee went to check in Kieu village on May 10. Photo: Bac Ninh People’s Committee. More info with Zing Mr. Nguyen Huy Nga, Head of Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Tien Du district, said that this year’s Winter-Spring rice crop, Kieu villagers planted Thai Xuyen 111 rice variety, which is high quality but capable Insect resistance is not strong. Therefore, if not timely spray treatment, the possibility of crop loss is great. Especially in the current period, rice begins to flower. The type of plane chartered by the Tien Du district government will each take off about 20 liters of medicine that has been prepared in the right dose. The flight process is ensured safely, with the supervision and permission of the competent forces. “We have sent documents to the isolated localities, where needed, the district will support. Up to now, the working group has sprayed nearly 40 hectares of rice,” Mr. Nga said. As of May 10, Tien Du district has 5 cases of Covid-19 in Kieu village (Hien Van commune) and Hoai Thuong village (Lien Bao commune). Through tracing, the whole district has 319 F1 cases and more than 2,000 F2. They were all tested and the initial results were negative Tien Du district has established 11 checkpoints and implemented social distancing according to Directive 16 for Kieu village (Hien Van commune) and Hoai Thuong village, Hoai Trung village (Lien Bao commune). Leaders of the Provincial People’s Committee also regularly check the concentrated isolation area, requesting the quarantined people to strictly follow the 5K message of the Ministry of Health.

In the future, your express delivery is likely to fall from the sky, and they will ride drones over mountains and seas. In the day-to-day maintenance, overhaul and upgrade by Su Hao, a UAV assembly and repair engineer, these sophisticated and flexible aircraft are showing their amazing potential, breaking through the limitations of ground transportation, and challenging the time limit of express logistics. UAV installation and maintenance workers not only let the UAV take off, but also make it land accurately and safely. Tens of thousands of debugging times are only for express delivery to “fall from the sky” quickly and stably. With the breaking of technical cost and other bottlenecks, the era of drone delivery may be approaching.

Thousands of crazy trials to adjust and test flight at an altitude of 3,500 meters

Within 15-20 minutes, Su Hao and his team will send Matsutake mushrooms that grow on a high mountain at an altitude of 3,500 meters down the mountain. As soon as the news came out, this village in the western plateau of China exploded. After all, it has always been a tradition of villagers to climb rugged mountain roads and pick and transport matsutake by humans. It can condense hours or even a day’s work to 20 minutes, and almost no one believes that Su Hao and his team can do it.

In the eyes of people’s surprise, Su Hao is still full of confidence because he also has a group of “colleagues” named Fang Zhou. The Ark is an unmanned aerial vehicle with eight rotors that can perform flexible turns, ascent and descend, and stay in the air under the automatic control of the system. It can fly for 22 minutes with a load of 10 kg.

In fact, products like Matsutake are quite “squeaky.” You have to take it off as soon as it is fresh, otherwise once the umbrella is “opened”, the nutritional value and economic value will be quickly lost. Relying on the characteristics of drones such as flexibility, efficiency, and ability to complete instructions autonomously, Su Hao hopes to change the inefficiency of hand-carried shoulder transportation and free the villagers from time-consuming and labor-intensive transportation.

Of course, letting Matsutake “fly” down from a 3500-meter high mountain is also a scene exercise and application of SF Express in the production of fresh transportation by drone farmers. If successful, these accumulated experience will help more agricultural products go out of the mountains and increase the income of local residents.

All beginnings are hard. Compared with plains, the environment in plateau and mountainous areas is more complicated. The weather changes drastically. Rain or wind will affect the smooth operation of the machine. In addition, the steep and rugged terrain also increases the difficulty of base station construction. The drone seems to be a point-to-point flight, and behind it is a whole set of systems to support it, including weather monitoring systems, communication networking systems, etc. Su Hao and his colleagues must cooperate closely, not only to make the drone reach the destination smoothly and accurately, but also to ensure foolproof safety during the flight.

Not only must the matsutake “fly” down the mountain, but it must also land on the ground accurately and safely according to the set flight route.

For this reason, within 3 months, the team made countless adjustments and test flights, and gradually outlined the outline of the use of drones in the plateau scene, which was regarded as a whimsical concept turned into reality. This also made Su Hao deeply aware for the first time that technology can change logistics, and logistics can truly change people’s lives.

Playing with “toys”, the team of famous drones is growing

However, if you turn the time back to 2013, the drone industry will be both mysterious and unfamiliar in people’s eyes. After graduating from university, it is difficult for Su Hao to find drone-related positions in job recruitment. He was obsessed with interest during his studies and did not find the right soil for the first time. This niche field is only confined to enthusiasts. In various exchange groups.

Strictly speaking, the aerial photography of activities that people see daily, or the so-called “drone” in the fleet performance, actually tends to be more toward the concept of aviation model, and the “drone” that Su Hao specialized in at that time also belongs to In the field of model aircraft. This type of aircraft mainly relies on human control to complete performance or competitive content, and is not a drone in the strict sense.

According to the definition of the Civil Aviation Administration, a drone is an aircraft managed by a control station (including remote control or autonomous flight), also known as a remotely piloted aircraft. The ability to carry sensing, measurement and data transmission equipment and automatically perform remote tasks according to procedures has become an important feature that distinguishes UAVs from aviation models.

After graduating from university, Su Hao worked at a gas station. Although he was far from the dream of flying, after get off work, Su Hao would still spend a few hours repairing the aircraft model, and sometimes asked the “great god” in the circle about assembly problems. . “Some colleagues know that I play aeromodelling, but many people think it is a’toy’.” He said with a smile.

Unconsciously, the outside world and Su Hao’s life trajectory have quietly changed because of this “toy”.

In 2013, when Su Hao graduated, the Civil Aviation Administration successively promulgated and revised the “Regulations on the Management of Civil UAV Pilots”, “Regulations on the Operation of Light and Small UAVs (Trial)”, “Measures for the Air Traffic Management of Civil UAV Pilot Aircraft Systems”, etc. Regulations that civilian drones are more regulated at the regulatory level, which has also accelerated the use of drones in more scenarios.

By April 2014, the management of drone pilot qualification and training quality began to be taken care of by the China AOPA (Chinese Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) under the Civil Aviation Administration, which means that drone enthusiasts will achieve “regularity”. Can pass the formal examination to become a professional drone industry practitioner.

In November 2016, Su Hao’s life trajectory ushered in a change. Based on his many years of love for drones, he almost easily obtained his own civil unmanned aircraft system pilot certificate, and finally had the opportunity to step into the industry he dreamed of. Like Su Hao, more and more job seekers are starting to flood into the drone field. In May 2017, the number of drone pilots with certification exceeded 14,000.

In February 2020, “UAV Installation, Adjustment and Maintenance Worker” officially became a new occupation and was included in the National Occupation Classification Dictionary. New occupations such as drone installation and maintenance workers and drone pilots have emerged due to the booming demand. The industry is entering a period of rapid development: According to the statistics of the Civil Aviation Administration, the number of registered drones in the industry has reached 523,600, and the annual flight volume has reached 1.594 million.

Break through spatial and geographical restrictions and build a bridge for online shopping in the mountains

After obtaining the qualification certificate, Su Hao became an unmanned aerial vehicle assembly and maintenance worker in SF Express in 2018. He summed up his career with “huge jumps”. “Before playing model airplanes was “happy flight”, but when it comes to the level of logistics operations, the requirements for the safety and stability of drones are very strict.” Daily maintenance, troubleshooting, software and hardware upgrades, Su Hao and the team There can be no mistakes. Behind every flight is a heavy responsibility.

It can be said that “black technology” such as drones really flew into people’s field of vision during the severe epidemic in 2020. In Wuhan, Shiyan, Ganzhou, Wenzhou, and Harbin, SF UAVs have built channels for transportation of materials. In the 32-day operation, drones flew more than 5,000 sorties, with a flight mileage of more than 22,000 kilometers, and more than 20 tons of materials were delivered to people.

In remote mountainous areas or scattered islands, the air superiority of drones not only eases the problem of unsalable agricultural products caused by inconvenient logistics, but also builds a bridge for residents’ online shopping. At present, Zhongtong is developing a hybrid UAV with a larger load capacity, which is expected to carry a load of 10-15 kg and a battery life of 100 minutes.

Transportation is inconvenient and labor costs are high. For these problems that plague the last mile of rural express delivery, drone delivery may become the optimal solution. In Tonglu, Zhejiang, Yunda’s 5G drone took off from an outlet in Fenshui Town, across the mountains and mountains, and delivered a Tonglu specialty Xueshuiyun green tea to customers in Zhangjiawu Village in just 16 minutes.

After several iterations, these “children” in Su Hao’s eyes have gradually grown into “reserves” of conventional capacity, expanding their potential in intra-city and inter-city high-efficiency transportation such as intra-city express delivery and inter-city express delivery. The vigorous growth of the drone industry not only enriches the competitive dimensions of enterprises in logistics and transportation such as trunk lines and branch lines, but also provides convenient and fast express services for consumers in more remote areas.

The transportation of matsutake on the plateau is just a microcosm of the drone flying in thousands of scenes, but it is deeply engraved in Su Hao’s mind. These smart and sensitive machines are breaking down barriers and filling the space-time distances between mountains and cities, inland and islands. People’s lives become different from this. More importantly, more people are understanding and approving the efforts of drone practitioners. “The hard work is worth it,” Su Hao said.

Therefore, in the field of logistics and express delivery, deep into the last kilometer or even 100 meters of the end of the consumer end, drones with wings that can fly freely set off again and again, echoing the express vehicles galloping on the ground.

Beijing Commercial Daily reporter Zhao Shu commented on He Qian