Effective swath width typically increases as the application height does what?

The effective swath width increases as the application height increases due to several factors related to the dispersion and distribution of the spray droplets. When the aircraft is positioned higher above the target area, the spray pattern is able to cover a larger area because the droplets have more distance to travel before they reach the ground. This increased distance allows for greater spread of the droplets as they fall, reducing the likelihood of them being concentrated in a narrow band.

Additionally, higher application heights reduce the effects of wind turbulence near the ground, which can otherwise lead to uneven distribution of the spray and create gaps in coverage. By applying from a higher elevation, the droplets have more time to settle and disperse uniformly across the target area.

In contrast, a decrease in application height tends to lead to narrower swath widths since the droplets face more concentrated downward momentum, which can increase the chance of unintended drift and uneven ground coverage. A consistent height would not allow for the dynamics of droplet spread to take place, and fluctuations based on wind speeds would introduce variables that could disrupt the effectiveness of the application. Thus, the correlation between increased height and wider effective swath width is clear in aerial applications.