DIGITALROOTS is a company with a mission: to integrate the latest technology into smart, sustainable agriculture. This drone-based vine-spraying specialist has developed a software solution that optimises both crop treatment management and traceability.
Context
Vines are highly sensitive to fungal diseases such as mildew and grey mould and require regular protective treatments. The spray treatments used – whether conventional or organic – must be applied only to the vine stocks and prevented from spreading beyond the vineyard. The Valais-based company DIGITALROOTS has come up with a solution for minimising the risk of spray drift: robotic spraying by drone. Initially developed for use in vineyards, it also has applications in market gardening, large-scale crop growing and even banana plantations.
Technology
A Swiss distributor of the agricultural drones manufactured by DJI, DIGITALROOTS offers a complete range of drone-based services including maintenance, accessories, flying permit applications and pilot training. It has also developed a spraying management software system. Called AgriVision, this system produces detailed reports on drone use frequency and flight zones, the products used, and even the doses applied. By buying the drones and a licence to use the software, customers can do the spraying themselves. Alternatively, DIGITALROOTS’ Agri.Aero solution is an all-in-one spraying service. A study begun in 2018 in partnership with Agroscope and the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) has shown that spraying vineyards by drone results in significantly less spray drift than any other method. The result is improved precision, a better-quality application and a product saving of 30% in comparison to helicopter spraying and 45% compared to manual spraying. Using drones also makes life easier for farmers in places that are difficult to access and reduces the risk of exposure to the products used.
Maturity
DIGITALROOTS describes its sales growth as explosive: from 6 ha in 2018, in 2024 its combined contracts covered an area of 340 ha. Its customers are mainly in Valais and, to a lesser extent, those buying its services in the Cantons of Vaud and Bern. The company markets DJI drones in Switzerland and in France through a subsidiary. It also has a presence in Martinique providing drone treatments in banana plantations. Since it broke into banana growing, DIGITALROOTS has international ambitions.
“What our customers like most is the fact that we share our experience of drone-based vine spraying with them.”
Sébastien Micheloud, Director
This portrait is taken from the second edition of the cleantech start-up overview published in 2024. Discover the full publication here.
