Arpac
Agricultural services using drones for precision spraying.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | investor investor | €0.0 | round |
| N/A | €0.0 | round | |
| investor | €0.0 | round | |
| investor investor investor | €0.0 | round | |
$1.8m | Late VC | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Arpac is a Brazilian company that provides aerial agricultural services, specializing in the application of chemical and biological agents using drones. The company was founded in 2014 by Eduardo Goerl, a business administrator and former airline pilot. The idea for Arpac arose after Goerl survived a serious plane crash in 2008 while working as a flight instructor, which led him to seek safer alternatives to traditional agricultural aviation. Traditional methods often expose pilots to high risks, require flying at low altitudes, and can be less precise.
The company's business model is centered on providing a complete service, rather than selling drones. This involves mapping croplands with imaging drones to identify specific areas of infestation, programming the flight path, and then using a fleet of drones for the precise application of herbicides, pesticides, or biological agents. This precision-based approach, known as spot-spraying, significantly reduces the use of chemical inputs and minimizes environmental impact. Arpac initially manufactured its own drones, developing the hardware, software, and control station internally. More recently, the company has incorporated drones from other manufacturers, such as DJI, to scale its services. Arpac serves clients across Brazil, with a strong presence in the sugarcane, rice, corn, and coffee sectors. Key clients include major producers like Raízen, the world's largest sugarcane producer.
Arpac has expanded its operations through several investment rounds, including funding from angel investor Francisco Forbes, MOR Capital, and Japan's Drone Fund. In 2022, Yamaha Motor also invested in the company to strengthen its position in the agricultural drone market. The startup has participated in acceleration programs like AgroStart, a partnership between ACE and BASF. Arpac has also established international partnerships, such as with the Israeli firm Taranis, to combine drone operations with artificial intelligence for crop health analysis, leading to operations in the United States.
Keywords: agricultural drones, precision spraying, agtech, crop dusting, drone services, biological pest control, crop mapping, aerial application, weed identification, smart agriculture, sugarcane, farm technology, precision agriculture, herbicide application, agricultural services, drone mapping, remote sensing, crop monitoring, pesticide application, digital farming