If residential water management is important to you, or if frugality is your thing, consider a new sprinkler that harnesses the power of the cloud. Droplet combines cloud computing and robotics in a most ingenious way. For the “green” homeowner that wants to conserve water, Droplet offers a simple-to-use and yet sophisticated solution. The manufacturer claims reduced sprinkler water consumption of as much as 90 percent. In some areas, this could translate into savings on one’s water bill of more than $200 per year.
Covers up to 2,700 Sq-ft
Droplet can handle an area up to 2,700 square feet in size, according to the manufacturer. Its flow rate is four gallons per minute. Droplet only measures about 10″ x 10″ x 6″, and it weighs just six pounds. Its range is a radius of 30-feet in any direction. The device requires a hose capable of delivering water at 40 psi.
This wi-fi operated device will work up to 50-feet from one’s home, although the distance is somewhat dependent upon the exact location of your router. Droplet is powered by its own 120v power pack.
The Initial Setup
To set up Droplet, the user first inputs plant types and locations into a mobile iOS device (Android capability is coming soon, they say). This is easier than it may sound, thanks in part to the Droplet website.
Data Sourced From the Cloud
Once the robotic sprinkler is configured, a user enjoys the advantages that accrue to any cloud-based device. He or she is now in charge of their watering from anywhere in the world. Not that such oversight is all that necessary. That’s because Droplet accesses a wealth of relevant data via the cloud. Data from weather stations, biological information about your plants and soil conditions in your area are all computed to determine the watering frequency and water distribution. Weather data is also factored into calculations regarding recent rainfall, an essential component of a true water-saving sprinkler.
Precision Saves Water
Droplet is capable of dispensing the proper amount of water directly to each plant. It is also fully capable of watering the lawn while leaving the driveway, patio, and fences relatively “high and dry.”
Because it can deliver such a precise stream of water, even potted plants can be included in the watering scheme. The lawn, by contrast, is watered in “rows.” What about trees? The system actually waters the tree at its drip line, rather than at the trunk, to maximize water absorption.
Although Droplet tackles are rather modest amount of territory, it is perfect for the smaller and yet heavily landscaped yard. And, especially in semi-arid to arid climates, the efficiency with which Droplet delivers precious water is impressive indeed.