In a new study published in the journal Science, researchers at Michigan State University were part of a team that documented how agricultural drones have spread at extraordinary speed.
Agricultural drones were first introduced in Asia before expanding to Latin America, North America, and Europe.
The MSU researchers included Ben Belton, a professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Thomas Reardon, university distinguished professor at the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics; and Leo Baldiga, a doctoral student the Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences at the College of Social Science; and the trio explain how farms are putting drones to work, why drone use has accelerated so quickly, and what the development means for farmers and stakeholders.
How have drones moved from hobby gadgets to major tools in global agriculture?
Drones have become integrated into everyday life over the past decade in sectors as diverse as entertainment, health care, and construction. They also have begun to transform the way people grow food.
Just a few years ago, agricultural drones were expensive, small, and difficult to use, limiting their appeal to farmers. In contrast, today’s models can be flown immediately after purchase and carry loads weighing up to 220 pounds — the weight of two sacks of fertilizer.
Agricultural drones are now akin to flying tractors. The multifunctional machines can perform numerous tasks using different hardware attachments. Common uses for drones on farms include spraying crops, spreading fertilizer, sowing seeds, transporting produce, dispensing fish feeds, painting greenhouses, monitoring livestock locations and well-being, mapping field topography and drainage, and measuring crop health. The versatility makes drones valuable for growing numerous crops and on farms of all sizes.
Where are agricultural drones used, and why has their use increased so quickly?
In their research as social scientists studying agriculture and rural development, the MSU team and others set out to document where agricultural drones have taken off around the world, what they are doing, and why they have traveled so far so fast. They also explored what these changes mean for farmers, the environment, the public, and governments.
China leads the world in agricultural drone manufacturing and adoption. In 2016, a Chinese company introduced the first agriculture-specific quadcopter model. There are now more than 250,000 agricultural drones reported to be in use there. Other middle-income countries have also been enthusiastic adopters. For instance, drones were used on 30 percent of Thailand’s farmland in 2023, up from almost none in 2019, mainly for spraying pesticides and spreading fertilizers.
In the U.S., the number of agricultural drones registered with the Federal Aviation Administration leaped to 5,500 in mid-2025 from about 1,000 in January 2024. Industry reports suggest those numbers substantially underreport U.S. drone use because some owners avoid the complex registration process. Agricultural drones in the U.S. are used mainly for spraying crops such as corn and soybeans, especially in areas that are difficult to reach with tractors or crop-dusting aircraft.
What risks and benefits do drones bring for farmers and the environment?
Shifting from applying chemicals with backpack sprayers to drones substantially reduces the risk of direct exposure to toxins for farmers and farmworkers. However, because drones usually spray from a height of at least 6 feet, if used improperly, they can spread droplets containing pesticides or herbicides to neighboring farms, waterways, or bystanders. That can damage crops and endanger people and nature.
Drones spray and spread fertilizers and seeds evenly and efficiently so that less is wasted. They also may reduce damage to crops in the field and consume less energy than large farm machines such as tractors.
Are drones saving labor or displacing it?
Drones save farmers time and money. They reduce the need for smallholders — people who farm less than 5 acres, who account for 85 percent of farms globally — to do dangerous and tiring manual spraying and spreading work on their own farms. By eliminating some of the last remaining physically demanding work in farming, drones also may help make agriculture more attractive to rural youth. In addition, drones create new skilled employment opportunities in rural areas for pilots, many of whom are young people.
On the downside, using drones could displace workers who currently earn a living from crop spraying. For instance, according to one estimate from China, drones can cover between 10 and 25 acres of farmland per hour when spraying pesticides. That is equivalent to the effort of between 30 and 100 workers spraying manually. Governments may need to find ways to help displaced workers find new jobs.
What could agricultural drones mean for future food production?
Drones may increase the amount of food that can be produced on each acre of land, while reducing the amount of resources needed to do so.
However, much of the evidence so far on yield gains from drone-assisted farming is anecdotal, or based on small studies or industry reports.
The drone revolution is reshaping farming faster than almost any technology before it. In just five years, millions of farmers around the world have embraced drones. Early signs point to big benefits: greater efficiency, safer working conditions and improved rural livelihoods. But the full picture isn’t clear yet.
