How Spray Drones Revolutionize Corn Farming, Make Farmers More Efficient and

Sustainable

There are 400,000 agricultural drones applying product to 300 crop types in over 100 countries around the globe today, helping farmers save money and steward a brighter future.

In its newly released Agricultural Drone Industry Insight Report, industry leader DJI says agricultural drones have provided superior solutions for crop protection applications, liberated more productivity and paved the way for more environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural practices

Here’s five key takeaways from the annual report:

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In 2024, DJI says 400,000 agricultural drones (spray and crop scouting drones) operated on farm fields around the world — a 33% increase from 2023. The company claims drones have helped save 222 million tons of water and reduced carbon emissions by removing nearly 31 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere. DJI spray drones are used to apply products to 300 different crop types in over 100 countries worldwide, the study notes.

FAA has streamlined spray drone regulations for agricultural operations, making it easier for farmers to legally use spray drones. Part 137 applicants can now submit their documents online by filling out forms. This change has saved farmers a significant amount of application time and reduced compliance costs considerably, DJI says. Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) exemptions have also been streamlined, making it easier for farmers and agronomists to capture complete field level insights more efficiently.

In 2024, DJI collaborated with various partners globally to carry out drift tests for different drone models and nozzle configurations. The company says spray drones cause less drift than traditional aircraft (crop dusters and spray helicopters) but cause more drift than backpack spraying or small, pull-behind sprayers. Spray drones and large, ground-based sprayers are about equal, the study found, when it comes to spray drift.

By shifting some acres from ground-based applications to drone-based applications, DJI says spray drones are “revolutionizing corn farming in major production regions like the U.S., China, and Brazil.” The company has data that says using spray drones versus large ground sprayers can increase a farmer’s income by $45 to $60 per hectare due to less crop damage and yield loss, and farmers have reduced annual herbicide usage by 25% through spray drones

In an industry where available skilled labor is often scarce and expensive, DJI says spray drones only require one or two paid operators while ground-rig applications typically need two to five. There’s also less fuel needed (93% less, according to DJI) and spray drones can cover 50-80 hectares in one day, while ground sprayers can cover 25-30 hectares in a typical working day.

Source: Matthew J. Grassi