Imagine spraying your garden with a hose — half the water misses the plants and just soaks the ground. That's basically what happens on farms today with pesticide sprayers, especially in orchards and vineyards. A Spanish agricultural machinery company built a next-generation sprayer that targets the crop precisely, cutting wasted pesticide by 50% and using 38.5% less diesel. For a farmer with just 10 hectares of vineyard, that means over €4,600 saved every year — money that used to literally drift away in the wind.
European farmers spray pesticides on crops worth thousands of euros every season, but conventional sprayers waste roughly half the product — it drifts into the air and soil instead of reaching the plants. This drives up costs, pollutes the environment, and puts farms at risk of failing increasingly strict EU regulations on pesticide use. Farmers need equipment that applies less chemical more precisely, while also cutting fuel bills.
The project delivered a complete H3O sprayer prototype — a next-generation plant protection product application device designed for vertical crops like vineyards and orchards. The project produced 8 total deliverables including the physical prototype, targeting 50% pesticide reduction and 38.5% diesel savings.
If you are a vineyard operator dealing with rising pesticide costs and tightening EU regulations on chemical use — this project developed a precision sprayer specifically designed for vertical crops that reduces pesticide release into the environment by 50% and cuts diesel consumption by 38.5%. For a 10-hectare vineyard, that translates to €4,630 in annual savings on product and fuel alone.
If you are an orchard operator struggling with compliance to EU Directive 2009/128/EC on sustainable pesticide use and GLOBAL G.A.P. certification requirements — this project built a complete sprayer prototype that meets both standards while halving the amount of plant protection product released. The 38.5% diesel savings further reduce your operating costs per hectare.
If you are an agricultural equipment distributor looking for next-generation spraying technology to differentiate your catalog — this SME-funded project produced a market-ready precision sprayer with demonstrated 50% pesticide reduction and 38.5% fuel savings. With EU pesticide regulations tightening across 4.4 million km² of European cropland, demand for compliant equipment is growing fast.
According to the project data, a small farmer with 10 hectares of vertical crops (like vineyards or orchards) saves €4,630 annually in reduced pesticide product and diesel fuel costs. The savings come from 50% less pesticide applied and 38.5% less diesel consumed.
This was funded under the SME Instrument Phase 2, which specifically supports bringing innovations close to market. The project delivered a complete H3O sprayer prototype. Given the 2-year project closed in 2017, the technology has had time to mature toward commercial deployment.
The IP sits with Pulverizadores Fede S.L.U., the sole consortium partner and a Spanish SME that is already a technology leader in agricultural machinery for vertical crops. Any licensing or purchasing arrangements would need to go through them directly.
Yes. The project explicitly addresses EU Directive 2009/128/EC on sustainable use of pesticides and aligns with the GLOBAL G.A.P. food chain industry standard. Using this sprayer could help farms meet both requirements simultaneously.
The sprayer is designed specifically for vertical crops — those grown on trellises or trees, such as vineyards and orchards. The project coordinator specializes in agricultural machinery for these crop types. Based on available project data, the technology targets phytosanitary treatment across European cropland.
The project notes that cropland covers almost 25% of the EU (4.4 million km²) and most of that area is subject to phytosanitary treatment. While vertical crops are a subset, the precision spraying technology addresses a massive area where pesticide reduction and cost savings are in high demand.
This is a single-company project — Pulverizadores Fede S.L.U., a Spanish SME and self-described technology leader in agricultural machinery for vertical crops. The 100% industry ratio with no university or research partners tells you this is not a research exercise: it is a commercial manufacturer building its next product with EU support. The SME Instrument Phase 2 funding confirms this was considered close-to-market. The risk for a potential buyer is low because the company already manufactures and sells sprayers — this is an upgrade to their existing product line, not a startup gamble.
Pulverizadores Fede S.L.U. is a Spanish agricultural machinery manufacturer — reachable through their corporate website fedepulverizadores.com
Want an introduction to the team behind the H3O precision sprayer? SciTransfer can connect you directly with Pulverizadores Fede to discuss purchasing, distribution, or licensing.
