Image: ModelWorks
Published on 09/15/2025
By Roseli Andrion | Agência FAPESP – A silent battle affecting productivity is taking place across Brazil’s farmlands: the spraying of pesticides. Currently, the two main methods are tractor-based spraying, which accounts for 80% of the market, and airplane-based spraying, which accounts for 18%. However, both options have flaws that are costly to producers and affect the effectiveness of the system.
For example, tractors have a costly drawback: moving them during chemical application causes their wheels to crush plants, resulting in lost productivity. According to estimates, this disturbance can result in up to a 4% decrease. “It seems small, but on a thousand-hectare farm, this represents a significant loss of revenue,” points out Henrique Moritz, CEO of ModelWorks Engenharia.
The researcher points out that crushing can be even more severe on rough terrain or in large plantations. Additionally, soil compaction is a common issue with the use of tractors: when the vehicle repeatedly passes through a location, the affected soil becomes too hard, which impairs root growth.
On the other hand, despite avoiding compaction, spraying with airplanes suffers from inaccuracy. It is common for the product to disperse to neighboring areas, a process known as drift, which raises environmental and health concerns. “In addition to requiring a greater volume of inputs, this even causes conflicts between neighbors,” says the engineer. Aircraft are also unable to fly safely over uneven terrain. Unfortunately, accidents involving agricultural aircraft are still a reality.
Faced with these challenges, drones have emerged as a promising alternative. Small, agile, and precise, they apply chemicals with high efficiency, reducing the volume of inputs and water required. This precision reduces waste, prevents contamination of waterways, and enables agriculture with a smaller environmental footprint.
However, this technology still has significant limitations. Most of the available models are low-autonomy Chinese-made electric devices. “Every ten minutes of operation, the battery needs to be replaced,” Moritz points out. “The logistics of keeping batteries charged in the field is a challenge for large properties, which makes application unfeasible and the cost per hectare very high.” To make matters worse, the need for constant battery changes increases workers’ exposure to chemicals.
In this scenario, the startup founded by Moritz, with support from FAPESP’s Innovative Research in Small Businesses Program (PIPE), has developed a hybrid fuel drone with a fully Brazilian-made smart refueling platform. The innovation eliminates the need for constantly available batteries and enables the device to operate for longer periods. “This concept drastically reduces the cost per hour of operation, and its productivity is close to that of tractors,” he says.
The automated spraying system combines high productivity and precision with operating costs up to 50% lower than current options. The drone lands on its own on a mobile platform for refueling and receives both fuel and application chemicals automatically – a process that is traditionally manual and requires numerous teams.
The mechanical engineer explains that the goal is to achieve the same coverage scale as tractors while maintaining the superior spraying quality of drones. “The technology combines the best of both worlds: the quality of drone application with the productivity and cost of traditional methods,” he summarizes.
Once recharged, the equipment takes off without human intervention, which simplifies logistics and reduces labor. This feature is essential for improving working conditions since agricultural spraying is one of the riskiest activities in the field. “The operator controls everything remotely and is therefore safer, without exposure to physical hazards or the risk of contact with agrochemicals,” Moritz explains.
With more precise application, drift to unwanted areas is reduced, which has a very positive environmental impact. In other words, the solution protects the environment, increases efficiency, and ensures worker safety.
From observation to solution
The project arose from the researcher’s observations. “My family has always been involved in agribusiness. I saw firsthand the problems that producers faced,” he says. He decided to leverage his technical expertise to bridge the gap between science and agribusiness, translating academic knowledge into practical solutions. Development began in 2016, and the system currently has five patents submitted. One of these patents, related to the automated refueling system, has already been granted.
ModelWorks has two versions of the device: a smaller model ideal for small properties and demonstrations and a larger model with the capacity to cover large areas with high productivity. Both models use hybrid technology and automation. The company has a prototype undergoing testing and is seeking validation to bring the product to market soon.
The startup recently secured an investor to accelerate development, and the expectation is to have products ready for demonstration in 2026. “There are two business model options: direct sales to producers or service provision through partnerships. There’s already a network of service providers, which we consider a facilitator,” Moritz explains.
Competitive advantage and future plans
Although the purchase price of the model is expected to be higher than that of Chinese competitors, the expectation is that operational gains will make the investment attractive. The company plans to begin commercial operations in 2026, initially focusing on the state of São Paulo.
According to Moritz, the strategy is to be close to the initial customers in order to monitor operations and make necessary adjustments. In a second phase, the plan is to expand throughout Brazil. Internationalization is also part of the plan. “The market potential is great, not only in Brazil but also in other countries facing similar challenges with spraying.”
While ModelWorks is not the first startup to create hybrid drones for spraying, according to the researcher, previous initiatives did not evolve due to the product’s lack of maturity. “We seek validation to put a reliable and safe product on the market.”
This caution is the startup’s strategy for conquering the segment. “We prefer to take more time and have a truly differentiated product. It’s not just a better drone; it’s an automated system that solves multiple problems at once.” Still, there are challenges to be overcome, such as initial investment, producers’ adaptation to the technology, and regulation.
According to Moritz, the key lies in balancing advanced technology with economic viability. “Our differential is to offer not only innovation, but also a tool that helps producers reduce costs, increase safety, and improve spraying quality.”
Source: https://agencia.fapesp.br/55877
