Pats drone-powered pest control pockets new investment

Pats, the Delft University of Technology spin-off, has secured 250,000 euros in new capital from the Uniiq investment fund. This injection of cash was awarded to the start-up for its approach to pest control in greenhouse horticulture. Its solution: bat-like drones that actively hunt pests.

Greenhouse conditions are an ideal climate for insects to thrive and reproduce, resulting in major issues for farmers. Instead of using potentially harmful chemical pesticides, Pats is developing a solution using micro drones. To start, the Yes!Delft start-up has narrowed its focus to one particular pest: moths. Their offspring, caterpillars, can cause considerable damage to a crop, resulting in yield loss.

The system consists of base stations equipped with monitoring cameras that are installed throughout the greenhouse. As soon as a flying moth is detected, a drone is activated and directed towards the moth. It then collides with the insect, which is disposed of by the drone’s rotating propellers. This swift bat-like action takes just a few seconds. Once the insect has been eliminated, the drone returns to the base station to recharge for the next mission.