Aeromone

INTERDISCIPLINARY PROJECT

This project explores a VTOL autonomous drone system designed to dispense insect pheromones with high precision across agricultural fields. By combining aerial mobility, LiDAR-based field mapping, and modular pheromone canisters, the system targets pest behavior rather than extermination—disrupting mating, redirecting movement, or preventing egg-laying without harming crops, pollinators, or surrounding ecosystems.

This concept reframes pest management as a biological precision tool, bridging the gap between sustainable agricultural science and scalable field application.

TYPE

California College of the Arts

Undergraduate Sophmore Project

DURATION

16 Weeks (2021)

PROBLEM CONTEXT

01 BACKGROUND

Pest infestations ,which includes insects, weeds, and diseases, are a leading cause of yield loss worldwide, and farmers spend billions annually on mitigation. Conventional approaches struggle with inefficiency and damage to beneficial organisms.

Our Current Fallible Solution

Global pesticide use in agriculture has grown significantly, with about 3.7 million tonnes applied annually and use increasing by roughly 4 % year-over-year; pesticide use per hectare has roughly doubled since 1990.

• Chemical pesticides are linked to declines in insect biodiversity, including beneficial pollinators and non-target species , threatening ecosystem services that crops depend on.

• Issues such as pesticide drift exemplify environmental inefficiencies

Market Growth

The global agricultural pheromone market is forecasted to grow strongly. Integration with modern precision ag tech (drones, AI, sensors) is an emerging frontier with space for innovation.

• From $30B in 2022 to nearly $98B by 2030 at 15.9 % CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate).

• Another analysis puts the market at $49.1B in 2024, rising to ~$177B by 2032 at 17.5 % CAGR.

CIRCULATIVE SYSTEM

01 BACKGROUND

4. Application and Return

1. Scan and Map

2. Target and Specify control

3. Deploy with Percision

AUTONOMOUS FIELD INTELLIGENCE

LiDAR creates 3D mapping of terrain for:

• Flight stability

• Enables sub-canopy spatial awareness

• Precision pheromone deployment.

RGB Imagery to analyze visual crop condition, leaf damage, discoloration, pest stress patterns.

RGB Camera System + LiDAR collects necessary data to enable targeted pheromone deployment, restraining from other advanced sensors such as NDVI / DLS

TARGETING / SPECIFIC CONTROL

User detects possible problem areas through visual crop condition, leaf damage, or discoloration.

After completing an initial scan, the drone identifies spatial areas associated with pest activity and localized stress zones. The farmer interacts with this data through a simplified decision interface, selecting the target pest species rather than manually defining spray paths.

System Intelligence

Combines visual indicators (leaf damage, discoloration)
With structural data (canopy density, plant height)
To prioritize high-probability infestation zones

The interface abstracts complexity, allowing farmers to make strategic choices without engaging with raw data layers. The drone functions as a decision-support tool, not a surveillance system.

PRECISION + CONTROLLED DEPLOYMENT

Modular pheromone canisters release micro-doses in short, timed pulses, ensuring even distribution within targeted zones.

Rather than saturating the environment, pheromones are deployed to interfere with insect mating signals, reducing population growth over time without killing organisms or affecting non-target species.

Micro-Dose Dispersion Nozzle
Precision vent geometry controls release rate and airflow direction.

Sealed Chemical Chamber
UV-resistant, airtight interior preserves pheromone stability.

Color coded pheromone cannisters
Red = Sex pheromones
Green = Aggregation pheromones

PROCESS

01 BACKGROUND

Pheromone Spray Port

Charging Port

RGB Camera System

LiDAR

Charging Port

This project reimagines pest control as a precision biological intervention rather than chemical saturation. By combining VTOL autonomy with species-specific pheromone delivery, the system targets pests at the behavioral level—reducing environmental impact while preserving crop yield. It proposes a scalable shift toward adaptive, data-driven agriculture.