Specifically, for the H3O technology, the customer focused design objective is to reduce pesticide losses by 50%, and fuel consumption by 38.5%. This is achieved thanks to the sprayer's adaptation to the vegetation characteristics and climatic conditions during applications, as well as through a proactive warning system that diminishes the need to carry out a second plant protection product (PPP) treatments. This results in savings of €462.5 per hectare per year, using Spanish prices for plant protection products and diesel fuel. H3O technology, hence, yields for an average grower with 10 hectares of vertical crop yearly savings of €4625, which in turn results in a payback period of less than 1.4 years. Industrial size farms are able to manage up 35 hectares with a single sprayer, which results in an even shorter payback period of less than five months.
Moreover, all H3O developments go well in line with the European Union Directive 2009/128/EC “establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides”, as well as Directive 2009/127/EC, “amending Directive 2006/42/EC with regard to machinery for pesticide application”, which requires that “machinery must be designed and constructed to ensure that pesticide is deposited on target areas, to minimize losses to other areas and to prevent drift of pesticide to the environment”.