Design Low-Cost 150 L Agri Drone
Budget: $250 – $750 USD
I’m building a large-capacity (150 litre) agricultural drone that must stay genuinely affordable, so every design decision needs to revolve around off-the-shelf components—especially PCBs already on the market. The airframe, power system and avionics have to work together to carry and dispense liquid or granular product while remaining easy for a grower to assemble and service in the field.
Core functions I need engineered into the platform are autonomous flight over flat cropland, precise real-time data collection for mapping and application logs, a reliable spraying mechanism, and a “siembra” module for spot seeding. The machine will service cereals, vegetables and fruit plots, so flexibility in nozzle options and application rates is essential.
I’m looking for complete development: structural design, component selection, flight-control integration (Pixhawk, ArduPilot or comparable COTS stack), payload plumbing, and the software tweaks that tie everything together. Highlight how you’ll keep the BOM low by using commercially available PCBs, motors, pumps and sensors rather than custom boards.
Deliverables
• CAD files and stress calculations for a 150 L payload frame
• Detailed BOM with links to readily purchasable PCBs and hardware
• Wiring diagrams and firmware configuration files
• Ground-control documentation showing autonomous mission setup, data capture and spray/seed calibration
• Short test video or log proving stable lift, waypoint flight and payload actuation
Acceptance criteria
– All listed parts must be available from mainstream suppliers (no boutique one-offs)
– Hover and cruise tests demonstrate safe operation at full 150 L load
– Spraying and siembra subsystems achieve uniform coverage within ±5 % of target rate
– Log files export in common formats (CSV, GeoJSON) for agronomic analysis
If this challenge fits your skill set, outline your approach, key component choices and any past work with heavy-lift or agri UAVs. Let’s get this drone from concept to reliable field work while keeping costs firmly in check.
Core functions I need engineered into the platform are autonomous flight over flat cropland, precise real-time data collection for mapping and application logs, a reliable spraying mechanism, and a “siembra” module for spot seeding. The machine will service cereals, vegetables and fruit plots, so flexibility in nozzle options and application rates is essential.
I’m looking for complete development: structural design, component selection, flight-control integration (Pixhawk, ArduPilot or comparable COTS stack), payload plumbing, and the software tweaks that tie everything together. Highlight how you’ll keep the BOM low by using commercially available PCBs, motors, pumps and sensors rather than custom boards.
Deliverables
• CAD files and stress calculations for a 150 L payload frame
• Detailed BOM with links to readily purchasable PCBs and hardware
• Wiring diagrams and firmware configuration files
• Ground-control documentation showing autonomous mission setup, data capture and spray/seed calibration
• Short test video or log proving stable lift, waypoint flight and payload actuation
Acceptance criteria
– All listed parts must be available from mainstream suppliers (no boutique one-offs)
– Hover and cruise tests demonstrate safe operation at full 150 L load
– Spraying and siembra subsystems achieve uniform coverage within ±5 % of target rate
– Log files export in common formats (CSV, GeoJSON) for agronomic analysis
If this challenge fits your skill set, outline your approach, key component choices and any past work with heavy-lift or agri UAVs. Let’s get this drone from concept to reliable field work while keeping costs firmly in check.