2023 was the most eventful year in the company’s history. Zanoni Equipamentos, a Brazilian manufacturer of aerial application dispersal technologies, made a global impact in the agricultural aviation industry by introducing new products and making significant investments in its industrial plant.
A Global Brand in the Agricultural Aviation Industry
Zanoni participated in the SINDAG Congress (one of the most prominent exhibitors), attended the NAAA Ag Aviation Expo in the USA for the seventh consecutive year, took part in the Latin American Agricultural Aviation Congress in Uruguay, and was represented at the CAAA Agricultural Aviation Convention in Canada by its local distributor (Turbine Conversions). The team visited operators in Argentina and the USA, attended the Aviator’s Festival in Lucas do Rio Verde, and organized a seminar in Luís Eduardo Magalhães (the central cotton region in Brazil). In addition to routine on-site customer support, the technical team visited maintenance centers in Primavera do Leste and participated in the Regional SINDAG Seminar in Cuiabá. The company also invested in political support for the aerial application industry, being present at the Brazilian Congress in Brasília to advocate for aerial application in front of the Brazilian population and legislators.
Apart from the constant presence in the industry, two Zanoni products deserve special mention for contributing to ag aviation in 2023: the gates and atomizers. Throughout the past year, firefighting equipment played a role in environmental protection across the Southern Hemisphere, with notable applications in the Uruguayan pulp industry, grain fields in South Africa, and natural reserves in the Brazilian Pantanal. In the realm of atomizers, the impact was even more pronounced: the application technology was widespread in Brazilian agriculture (with over 200 aircraft equipped in just one year), especially with the new M6 model for high-speed aircraft (installed on the 1000th AT-802), also protecting crops worldwide, including banana plantations in Mexico and Ecuador, grain fields in the USA, and forests in Canada.
Zanoni continued to make a mark in the scientific world of agricultural aviation, funding various research projects worldwide. In collaboration with Agroefetiva and Professor Dr. Wellington Carvalho, a project was conducted to develop hydraulic nozzles. Several trials were carried out in partnership with consultant Alan McCracken, including atomizer calibration in Central America, the USA, Bahia, Mato Grosso, and Maranhão. In collaboration with Sabri, an evaluation was conducted with the US Department of Agriculture.
Spraying Innovations
Among the key products launched by Zanoni in 2023, include the line of hydraulic transfer pumps, a new fuel pump, spraying pumps for helicopters, and gates for Cessna 188. Zanoni’s transfer pumps now have the option of hydraulic motor activation, allowing installation on support trucks for agricultural aircraft. In the fuel line, Zanoni introduced a new continuous-operation electric pump (12V), now without a time restriction (previous fuel pumps had a 5-minute limit). In the gates line, a tool similar to Zanoni’s invention for Ipanemas was launched, now also for the Cessna 188, significantly increasing the efficiency of piston aircraft in controlling fires in pastures and crops, surpassing original gate boxes. Zanoni launched a centrifugal pump for helicopters, maintaining the brand’s quality standard.
Zanoni continued developing promising innovations for agricultural aviation. The new line of spray nozzles, new spray pump line, and spreader have been in testing for several months, receiving the necessary validation that aeronautical equipment must undergo before being launched in the market. Some other innovative products for agricultural aircraft also entered the design phase in 2023, and more details will be disclosed soon. In the engineering department, notable improvements were made to the rotary atomizers line, especially with a new anti-drip system and a new system for quick opening and closing of line filters.
A Longer Shot
As the world’s largest team for manufacturing equipment for agricultural aviation, the company inaugurated another building in its headquarters and acquired new machines dedicated to the new product lines that will be launched. The investments made between 2020 and 2022 increase the production capacity and delivery times of existing products.
Zanoni’s certification process with ANAC (National Civil Aviation Agency) advanced considerably. Despite the Brazilian aeronautical authority not requiring dispersal equipment to be certified, the company took this initiative to provide greater legal certainty to operators in Brazil. Its PMA (or “COP” – according to Brazilian regulations) and its first STCs (or “CTEs” – according to Brazilian regulations) are in the final stages of approval.
Zanoni Equipamentos expresses gratitude for everyone’s partnership and trust during another year!
