Psyche Aerospace, a Brazilian startup company, is in the final stages of development and testing for the world's largest autonomous agricultural spraying drone, Harpia P-71.
According to Psyche Aerospace website, Harpia P-71 can reach a maximum takeoff weight of up to 1,580 lbs (720 kg), distributed across 350 lbs (160 kg) of aircraft, 52 gallons (200 kg) of fuel and up to 105 gallons (400 kilograms) of spray. The Harpia P-71 can cover 98 acres (40 hectares) per hour, features a hybrid ethanol and battery-powered engine, and has a flight autonomy of 10 hours.
The startup recently received a $2.74 million (BRL15 million) investment from a single private equity investor. This funding has propelled the agtech startup past its Series A investment round, achieving a new market valuation of $13.7 million (BRL75 million).
Gabriel Pereira Leal, founder of Psyche Aerospace, does not plan on selling the drones, but rather providing spraying services to farmers in Brazil. Prices will start at $3.60 per acre (R$20 per hectare) per application.
Currently, Psyche Aerospace has approximately 2,965,264 acres (1.2 million hectares) under letters of intent in the negotiation phase, moving towards the future by developing the largest agricultural drone.
