DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING POLLEN THAT CAN BE ATTACHED TO A DRONE

Abstract

A device for distributing pollen attachable to a drone, characterized in that it comprises: - a hopper (1) that stores a quantity of pollen, equipped with an agitator that ensures the homogeneity of the pollen, - at least one outlet orifice (8), located at the bottom of the hopper (1), - a metering lever (2) located below the outlet orifice (8), equipped with a displacement mechanism that regulates the degree of opening of the outlet orifice (8) and therefore the quantity of pollen that comes out through it, - a Venturi tube (3) provided with a central narrowing corresponding to the outlet orifice (8), - a blower (5) connected to one end of the Venturi tube (3), equipped with a motor, which provides pressure along the Venturi tube (3) to facilitate the exit of the pollen, - at least one adjustable nozzle (4) connected to the other end of the Venturi tube (3), which allows the dispersion of the pollen, - a supporting structure (7) linked to the hopper (1) which is equipped with a plurality of couplings (6) intended to be coupled to a drone, - a control unit connected to the displacement mechanism of the metering lever (2) that regulates the pollen output and connected to the blower motor (5), - a power supply or a connecting element intended to connect the device to a power supply of the drone.

Description

DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING POLLEN THAT CAN BE ATTACHED TO A DRONE OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention belongs to the field of plant pollination and relates to a pollinating device attachable to a drone, which allows for uniform distribution of pollen over a wide area, ensuring effective artificial pollination. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Pollination is essential for the production of many crops, and pollination systems based on insects and wind are increasingly disrupted by climate phenomena and the use of chemicals such as pesticides. The disappearance of bees and other pollinating insects is a threat to the environment and humanity. To combat this situation, various artificial pollination systems are used. Some methods of artificial pollination include hand pollination, which is done with a brush or stick and is labor-intensive. Another is the use of portable devices, such as blowers, sprayers, and vibrating wands. These devices are faster and easier to use for distributing pollen than simple hand tools. Among these portable devices, the portable electrostatic pollinator is an effective alternative for both collecting and applying pollen. However, more research is needed to overcome technical challenges such as poor orientation. Vehicle-mounted devices are another alternative in the field of artificial pollination. Sprayers, blowers, and similar equipment have been developed for mounting on vehicles such as tractors for large-scale pollination. These devices require less labor than traditional methods. However, these operations are costly and, in some cases, slow because they distribute pollen from low heights, resulting in lower effectiveness and higher pollen consumption. Furthermore, adjusting the necessary pollen dose can be complex, leading to increased cultivation costs. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a device that solves the problems of the previous technique by ensuring an artificial pollinator capable of increasing operator comfort and spraying pollen evenly. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposes a pollen distribution device that can be mounted on a drone and spray pollen uniformly over a wide range so that artificial pollination can be effectively achieved. The device of the invention comprises a hopper that stores a quantity of pollen, equipped with an agitator that ensures the homogeneity of the pollen, at least one outlet orifice, located at the bottom of the hopper, a dosing lever located below the outlet orifice, equipped with a displacement mechanism that regulates the degree of opening of the outlet orifice and therefore the quantity of pollen that comes out through it, a Venturi tube provided with a central narrowing corresponding to the outlet orifice, a blower connected to one end of the Venturi tube, equipped with a motor, which provides pressure along the Venturi tube to facilitate the exit of the pollen, and at least one orientable nozzle connected to the other end of the Venturi tube that allows the dispersion of the pollen. The device also comprises a support structure attached to the hopper, which is equipped with a plurality of couplings for attaching to a drone; a control unit connected to the metering lever's displacement mechanism that regulates the pollen output and connected to the blower motor; and a power supply or connection element for connecting the device to a drone power supply. The device further comprises a support associated with the support structure for supporting the blower motor. The hopper serves as a storage container for the pollen to be distributed. It is preferably truncated cone-shaped or similar and contains an agitator to prevent clumping and ensure a continuous flow of pollen. The outlet holes can be of various geometric shapes to guarantee efficient pollen distribution. The control unit is the component of the device of the invention that regulates the pollen output by acting on the metering lever and activating or deactivating the device's operation. It can be operated by radio control or automatically by synchronizing GPS information with the location of crop rows or individual trees. The installation of the device of the present invention is carried out by means of a coupling unit comprising a supporting structure linked to the hopper which is provided with a plurality of couplings, a plurality of lower drone bars, formed by rods and fixing elements for example clamps designed for the purpose. The device, thanks to being mounted on a drone, can approach its target, a field of crops or trees in a forest from the air, like bees, and therefore has less barrier to entry into a field or forest than other forms of artificial pollination technologies. The device of the invention advantageously eliminates the need for large-scale equipment requiring high precision, thus contributing to a reduction in the initial cost. Additionally, a power supply unit can be installed on the device to provide power to the device, for example, a battery, or the device can be connected to the drone's battery and use that battery as a power source. Any commercially available drone can be used to attach the device of the present invention. The device of the invention is used for artificial pollination in fruit orchards, and potentially in herbaceous and forest species, to promote fruit set and increase production. In particular, the device is used in super-intensive plantations, such as olive groves, where large areas of cultivation with high varietal homogeneity are concentrated, and in dioecious species, such as pistachio trees, where the area allocated to male and female trees can be eliminated or reduced. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS To complement the description being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred embodiment thereof, a set of drawings is included as an integral part of said description, in which, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented: Figure 1.- Shows a perspective view of the device of the invention. Figure 2.- Shows a bottom view of the device of the invention. Figure 3.- Shows another perspective view of the device of the invention. Figure 4.- Shows a side view of the device of the invention. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION A preferred embodiment of the device for distributing pollen attachable to a drone, which is the subject of the present invention, is described below. The device comprises the following elements: - a hopper (1) that stores a quantity of pollen, equipped with an agitator that ensures the homogeneity of the pollen, - at least one outlet hole (8), located at the bottom of the hopper (1), - a metering lever (2) located below the outlet orifice (8), equipped with a displacement mechanism that regulates the degree of opening of the outlet orifice (8) and therefore the amount of pollen that comes out through it, - a Venturi tube (3) provided with a central narrowing corresponding to the outlet orifice (8), - a blower (5) connected to one end of the Venturi tube (3), equipped with a motor, which provides pressure along the Venturi tube (3) to facilitate the exit of the pollen, - at least one adjustable nozzle (4) connected to the other end of the Venturi tube (3), which allows pollen dispersal, - a supporting structure (7) linked to the hopper (1) which is provided with a plurality of couplings (6) intended to be coupled to a drone, - a control unit connected to the metering lever displacement mechanism (2) that regulates the pollen output and connected to the blower motor (5), - a power supply or a connection element intended to connect the device to a drone power supply. The device further comprises a support (9) associated with the supporting structure (7) which is intended to support the motor that drives the blower (5). Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 show the elements of the device such as the hopper (1), the dosing lever (2), the Venturi tube (3), the nozzle (4), the blower (5), the couplings (6), the supporting structure (7), the outlet orifice (8) and the support (9).

Claims

1. A device for distributing pollen attachable to a drone, characterized in that it comprises: - a hopper (1) that stores a quantity of pollen, provided with an agitator that ensures the homogeneity of the pollen, - at least one outlet orifice (8), located at the bottom of the hopper (1), - a metering lever (2) located below the outlet orifice (8), provided with a displacement mechanism that regulates the degree of opening of the outlet orifice (8) and therefore the quantity of pollen that comes out through it, - a Venturi tube (3) provided with a central narrowing corresponding to the outlet orifice (8), - a blower (5) connected to one end of the Venturi tube (3), provided with a motor, which provides pressure along the Venturi tube (3) to facilitate the exit of the pollen, - at least one adjustable nozzle (4) connected to the other end of the Venturi tube (3), which allows the dispersion of the pollen,- a supporting structure (7) linked to the hopper (1) which is provided with a plurality of couplings (6) intended for coupling to a drone, - a control unit connected to the displacement mechanism of the metering lever (2) that regulates the pollen output and connected to the blower motor (5), - a power supply or a connecting element intended for connecting the device to a power supply of the drone.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprises a support (9) associated with the supporting structure (7) which is intended to support the motor that drives the blower (5).