Case Study: From Blanket Spraying to Precision Mapping in Bulyee, WA
Location: Bulyee, Western Australia
Farm Manager: Josh
Grower: Jacob Turner
Drone Operator: Ian – Drone Services WA
The Challenge
After a tough start to the season, with patchy early rains followed by heavy winter downpours, wild radish broke through a young lupin crop on the Turner family farm near Bulyee.
“We’d already done two high-rate Brodal sprays which worked well on the first germination,” said Jacob Turner. “But the second flush came through after the big June and July rains — and we didn’t want to spray the whole paddock again.”
A blanket spray would have meant treating 45 hectares — and wiping out up to 30% of the lupins in the process.
The Solution: Drone-Based Contrast Mapping
To avoid unnecessary spraying, the team turned to Drone Services WA, who used drone-based contrast mapping to identify problem areas with pinpoint accuracy. Using a high-resolution RGB camera, the drone captured imagery at a ground sampling distance (GSD) as fine as 1.0 cm per pixel, allowing individual plants and canopy differences to be identified. The AI analysis then processed the orthomosaic, detecting colour and contrast differences between flowering radish and the non-flowering lupins. Once complete, the data was converted into prescription (Rx) maps, which were uploaded directly into the John Deere Operations Center and loaded into the farm’s 4060 sprayer. This allowed the system to automatically target the weed patches, treating only the affected zones and leaving the crop untouched.
“Using the drone gave us a precise way to clean up those patches without wasting product or time,” Jacob said.
The Results
Paddock Size: 155 ha
Sprayed Area: 10 ha (7%)
Chemical Used: Glyphosate @ 3 L/ha
Estimated Savings: 35 ha unsprayed ≈ $25,000 saved
Mapping Cost: ~$10/ha
“Without the drone, we would’ve had to spray 45 ha,” Jacob said. “It paid for itself in one job.”
The process not only saved money but also reduced overlap, soil compaction, and chemical waste.
The Outcome
For Jacob and Josh, this project marks a step toward data-driven decision-making and variable-rate application. Their next move is to bring their own drone system in-house for early-season mapping and upgrade their boomspray with individual nozzle control, allowing full integration with drone-generated data.
Drone Providers
Drone Services WA
Provides professional agricultural drone operations across Western Australia, specialising in contrast mapping, and data interpretation.
“It’s not just about flying drones — it’s about delivering measurable results that improve farm efficiency,” said Ian.
NextGen AgTech
Supplies and supports the full DJI AGRAS and Enterprise range, offering sales, training, maintenance, and contracting.
“We don’t just sell drones — we help farmers use them profitably,” says Jonathan Chick.
Together, the two businesses are helping WA farmers move from blanket spraying to precision mapping, driving smarter, data-backed decisions across the state.
📞 NextGen AgTech – Jonathan Chick: 0419 254 517 | 📧 jonathan@nextgenagric.com | 💻 nextgenagric.com
📞 Drone Services WA – Ian: 0411 055 264 | 📧 ian@droneserviceswa.com.au | 💻 droneserviceswa.com.au
