Challenge
A Legacy Asset Losing the Fight for Light
Toddington Nurseries in West Sussex faced a critical maintenance issue with their legacy widespan greenhouses, some dating back to the late 1960s. Their steeply pitched roofs and sheer scale made them a headache to clean, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to find contractors willing to take on the risk of working at height on such structures. A stubborn film of dirt had drastically reduced the light needed for high-value crops. The traditional method was highly dangerous and would take a full team three weeks of precarious work to clean one unit.
Solution
A Morning’s Work for an Agricultural Drone
The nursery commissioned QuadRotor Services, an AutoSpray Pilot Network member, to apply ReduClean using the agile XAG P40 agricultural drone. The drone allows the entire job to be completed safely from the ground, eliminating all risk associated with manual cleaning on the glass roof. The XAG platform’s quick-swap tank system helped maintain efficiency. The solution was applied at a rate of 600 litres per hectare.
Result
Productivity and Viability Restored
The project was a masterclass in efficiency and safety. The drone completed the cleaning of the first entire widespan unit by lunchtime. The pilot was confident he could complete three or four similar units in a single day. This transformed a three-week, high-risk job into a safe and remarkably fast operation. By restoring light levels, the drone application directly translates to improved crop health and yield, proving that drone technology can provide a new, safe, and profitable lease of life for the UK’s legacy horticultural assets.
Project Partners
