Demand for swarming agricultural spray drones rising in US
The use of drones for agricultural purposes is taking off in the U.S., with increasing numbers of farmers seeing improved efficiency, more targeted spraying and lower costs as advantages over traditional crop-spraying aircraft.
Utilizing drones to spread water, pesticides and other chemicals on crops grew more appealing last year when the U.S. FAA started granting permission to use a single operator to oversee a swarm of three drones weighing over 55 lbs. Previously, each of the three heavy spray drones had to have two pilots, including one dedicated to line-of-sight monitoring.
Agricultural UAV manufacturer Hylio in March 2024 became the first company to gain FAA approval for users of its spray drones to have a single operator overseeing three autonomous drones swarming over farmland. That cuts required staff for a three-drone swarm carrying heavier loads from six to one. Other companies have since gained the same permission, widening U.S. demand for spray drones.