Agricultural Drone Market : The Green Technology for Future Agriculture

The Agricultural Drone Market size was valued at USD 4.6 Billion in 2023 and the total Agricultural Drone Market revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 30.70 % from 2024 to 2030, reaching nearly USD 29.97 Billion by 2030.
Agricultural Drone Market Overview
An agricultural drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) specifically designed and used in farming to improve efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. These drones are equipped with advanced sensors, cameras, and mapping tools that help farmers monitor crops, assess field conditions, and apply inputs like fertilizers and pesticides with precision.

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The Agricultural Drone Market is rapidly growing as drones become an essential tool in modern farming. Drones are increasingly used for tasks such as aerial mapping, crop monitoring, precision spraying, and soil analysis, helping to enhance efficiency and productivity across various agricultural processes. Globally, agricultural drones are expected to make up approximately 15-20% of all agricultural drone usage in the near future, reflecting their growing role in precision agriculture. Drones cover large areas in a fraction of the time compared to traditional methods. For example, a drone spray up to 500 acres of farmland in a single day, reducing the time needed for tasks like spraying and crop monitoring by up to 90%. This allows farmers to allocate resources more efficiently and focus on critical aspects of crop management.

India Agricultural Drone accounts for 22.5% of the world’s total drone imports, with most drones used for military purposes, though commercial drones are gaining traction. Valued at over US$ 900 million, the commercial drone sector is projected to surpass the military sector. By 2025, India is expected to become the world’s third-largest drone market.

The Government of India aims to establish the country as a Global Drone Hub by 2030, with plans to grow the agricultural drone manufacturing industry's turnover from ₹ 60-80 crore to ₹ 900 crore by FY 2024.

The agricultural drone market is experiencing significant growth, particularly in Southeast Asia, where drone use for spray treatments is already widespread. In South Korea, agricultural drones are utilized for approximately 30% of agricultural spraying, showcasing their effectiveness in navigating hard-to-reach areas, such as steep tea fields at high elevations.

Drone sprayers enhance safety for workers by eliminating the need for cumbersome backpack sprayers, which can pose health risks. They provide precise and targeted spray applications, maximizing efficiency and reducing chemical costs. Regulations surrounding drone sprayers vary significantly across countries. For instance, in Canada, agricultural drone sprayers are not yet legal as further testing is required to understand the implications of spray drift. Some regulatory proposals suggest that only train.ed professionals operate spray drones, similar to Yamaha’s approach, which focuses on leasing spray drone services that include licensed operators rather than selling the drones outright.
The top manufacturers of agricultural drones include DJI (China), XAG (China), Garuda Aerospace (India), Yamaha (Japan), IO TechWorld (India), TopXGun (China), Eagle Brother (China), and Xmobots (Brazil).

In April 2023, the Ministry of Agriculture unveiled standard operating procedures (SOP) for pesticide application using drones across 10 crops, including rice, wheat, cotton, and maize.

On July 04, 2024, Optiemus launches drones for agricultural and mapping, plans ‘drone as a service’ model. Optiemus Unmanned Systems (OUS) launched its new range of indigenously designed and manufactured drones in agricultural and mapping category.

The Agricultural Drone market report by MMR includes a detailed analysis of investments in the sector, segmented by country, type, Component, Payload capacity and Application entities over the past five years. It identifies key trends and investment patterns within this period, providing a comprehensive overview of the financial landscape. The report highlights recent product launches from leading companies in the Agricultural Drone industry, such as AeroVironment, Trimble Inc., and AgEagle Aerial Systems showcasing the latest technological advancements and innovations. The report forecasts future investments over the next 7 years, offering valuable insights into expected market growth and development. This predictive analysis aims to help stakeholders make informed decisions by understanding where and how investments are likely to occur, thereby driving strategic planning and resource allocation. The inclusion of recent launches and future investment estimates makes this report an essential resource for comprehending both current market dynamics and future potential in the Agricultural Drone industry.
Agricultural Drone Market Dynamics
Increased productivity and efficiency of farming operations to boost Agricultural Drone Market growth

Agriculture drones are transforming the efficiency and productivity of farming operations. Capable of covering up to 500 acres in a single day—work that would traditionally take weeks—they save up to 90% of time, allowing farmers to prioritize critical tasks. Equipped with high-resolution cameras and advanced sensors, these drones enable data-driven decision-making by capturing detailed information about crops. This helps farmers identify issues like crop diseases, irrigation irregularities, and nutrient deficiencies, leading to informed choices that minimize resource waste and optimize farm management.

Cost-effectiveness is a key driver, as agriculture drones reduce operational expenses by up to 30% through optimized use of fertilizers and pesticides. Additionally, by lessening the need for manual labor, drones lead to significant labor cost savings.

Environmental benefits further boost their appeal, with drones reducing chemical usage by 35% and cutting greenhouse gas emissions by minimizing field visits. Precision mapping and surveying capabilities allow for tailored planting strategies, resource allocation, and land management, while vigilant plant health monitoring using multispectral and infrared cameras ensures early detection of stress or diseases, resulting in higher-quality crops.



Comprehensive soil health analysis is another advantage, as drones facilitate the collection of diverse soil samples, providing insights into fertility, pH levels, and moisture content, allowing for improved nutrient management and enhanced agricultural sustainability.
Agricultural Drone Market Trends and Outlook:

Rising Adoption of Precision Agriculture:

Precision agriculture is becoming the backbone of modern farming, using technology like drones to improve efficiency and productivity. Agricultural drones provide detailed data on crop health, soil conditions, and irrigation needs, allowing farmers to optimize their use of resources such as water, fertilizers, and pesticides.

Data analytics and machine learning integration with drone technology are becoming common, enabling farmers to make data-driven decisions that increase crop yields while reducing input costs.

Integration of Advanced Sensors and Imaging Technologies:

Drones are now equipped with multispectral, hyperspectral, and thermal sensors. These sensors can detect crop health, water stress, pest infestations, and nutrient levels in plants.

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology is being increasingly used in drones to create high-resolution maps of agricultural fields, enabling more precise land and crop management.

Increasing Use of Drones for Crop Spraying:

Drone-based spraying systems have gained popularity, particularly in regions like Asia, where labor shortages are an issue. Drones allow for precise application of pesticides and fertilizers, reducing waste and environmental impact. South Korea and Japan are leaders in this segment, with the technology also gaining traction in the U.S. and Europe.

Shift toward Autonomous Drones:

Autonomous drones are a growing trend, reducing the need for human operators. These drones are capable of performing missions such as surveying, mapping, and spraying with minimal human intervention.

The combination of GPS technology, AI, and real-time data analytics is enhancing the autonomy of drones, making them more efficient and cost-effective for large-scale farming operations.

Government Support and Regulatory Changes:

Governments across the globe, including in India, the U.S., and Europe, are providing regulatory support and subsidies for drone usage in agriculture. Programs like India's PLI scheme for drones aim to transform the country into a global hub for agricultural drone manufacturing by 2030.

More streamlined regulations are expected in several countries, which remove barriers for broader drone adoption in agriculture.

Drone cost structure: Agriculture Industry
Agriculture drones span a wide price spectrum based on their features, capabilities, and intended applications:
Entry-level drones: Priced between $1,000 and $2,000, these drones are ideal for basic aerial photography and mapping. While they may lack advanced sensors, they provide a cost-effective starting point for small-scale operations.
Mid-range drones: Ranging from $2,000 to $10,000, these drones come with advanced sensors like RGB cameras and multispectral sensors. They offer greater versatility and enhanced data collection, making them suitable for mid-sized applications.
High-end drones: Designed for precision agriculture, high-end drones cost between $10,000 and $200,000 or more. Equipped with cutting-edge technology, including LiDAR sensors and thermal cameras, they enable comprehensive data collection and analysis for large-scale operations.

Agriculture Drone Cost Per Acre:

Determining the cost of drone operation per acre requires a meticulous assessment of several factors:

Drone Model: The upfront investment in the drone, along with maintenance costs and depreciation over time, directly impacts the cost per acre.
Operational Costs: Recurring expenses such as battery replacements, fuel or electricity, and routine maintenance contribute to the overall cost.
Efficiency: Drones with longer flight times and efficient operations can lower the cost per acre by maximizing the area covered in a single flight.
Payload and Sensors: The cost varies depending on the sensors and cameras used for data collection. Specialized equipment, such as LiDAR or thermal cameras, increases expenses.

Although these factors influence pricing, the cost per acre generally ranges from $5 to $50, depending on the tasks performed, the technology used, and the service provider's rates.

Agriculture Drone Cost Per Hour:

Evaluating the hourly cost of operating an agricultural drone involves several key components:

Fuel or Battery Usage: The cost of fuel or electricity needed for drone operation during the specified time frame.
Maintenance: Ongoing expenses for regular check-ups and potential part replacements.
Pilot Fees: If a certified drone pilot is required, their hourly rate should be factored into the cost.
Insurance: Costs associated with agricultural drone insurance to cover potential liabilities and damages.
Hourly operating costs typically range from $20 to $100 or more, depending on the drone model, service type, and operational specifics. This includes both direct expenses and any professional fees associated with the operation.

Hourly cost of operating an agriculture drone involves accounting for multiple components:

Fuel or Battery Usage: The cost of fuel or electricity required to operate the drone for a specified period.
Maintenance: Ongoing costs for regular maintenance, including check-ups and potential part replacements.
Pilot Fees: If a certified drone pilot is needed, their hourly rate should be factored into the overall cost.
Insurance: The expense of drone insurance to cover potential liabilities and damages.
Hourly operating costs typically range from $20 to $100 or more, depending on the drone model, service type, and operational factors. This includes both direct expenses and any related professional fees.

Agriculture Drone Services Cost:
Agriculture drone services offer a variety of options tailored to meet the specific needs of farmers and landowners. Costs vary based on several factors, including service type, coverage area, data processing requirements, and monitoring frequency.

Aerial Mapping Services:
Basic Aerial Mapping: Costs range from $300 to $1,000 per flight, capturing high-resolution imagery for visual field assessment.
Advanced Mapping with Data Analysis: Priced between $1,000 and $3,000 per flight, this service includes data analysis and products like orthomosaic maps and digital elevation models (DEMs).

Crop Monitoring Services:

Basic Crop Monitoring: Costs between $500 and $1,500 per flight, offering image capture for crop health assessment, with pricing dependent on coverage area and monitoring frequency.

Advanced Monitoring with Data Analysis and Reporting: Priced from $1,500 to $5,000 per flight, this service includes detailed monitoring with data analysis such as NDVI mapping, disease detection, and yield forecasting.

Pest Control and Precision Application Services:

Costs range from $10 to $50 per acre, depending on chemical type, area size, and task complexity.

Data Analysis and Reporting Services:

Typically priced between $200 and $500 per hour of analysis, varying based on analysis complexity and data volume. These services provide actionable insights from drone-collected data.

Ongoing Monitoring Services (Seasonal or Annual Packages):

Annual monitoring packages range from $5,000 to $20,000 or more, covering multiple flights, comprehensive data analysis, and regular reporting throughout the growing season.
Agricultural Drone Market Segment Analysis
Based on Type, the market is segmented into Fixed Wing Drones, Rotary Drone Blades, and Hybrid Drones. Fixed Wing Drones segment dominated the market in 2023 and is expected to hold the largest Agricultural Drone Market share over the forecast period. Fixed-wing drones are a key segment in the agricultural drone industry, specifically designed for long-duration flights and large-scale farm operations. Unlike multi-rotor drones, which hover and maneuver in tight spaces, fixed-wing drones have a design similar to airplanes, allowing them to fly longer distances, cover more ground, and stay airborne for extended periods. This makes them ideal for large-scale agricultural mapping, surveying, and monitoring tasks, particularly in expansive fields.



For Instance, AgEagle Aerial Systems’ Expansion: In 2023, AgEagle Aerial Systems launched its fixed-wing drones for precision agriculture, offering longer flight times and larger payload capacities. The company has focused on enabling real-time data collection, which farmers can use to manage crops and resources more effectively.
Agricultural Drone Market Regional Insight
Growth in Agricultural business to boost Agricultural Drone Market growth

India's agricultural sector, accounting for around 18% of the nation’s Gross Value Added (GVA) in FY 2024, forms the backbone of its economy. Despite facing hurdles from the global health crisis and unpredictable climate patterns, the sector has demonstrated resilience and adaptability, playing a key role in India's economic recovery.

Drones, a critical part of the Industry 4.0 landscape in India, are poised to boost the country's GDP by 1-1.5% and generate over 500,000 jobs in the near future. The Indian government is actively promoting drone manufacturing and components through various initiatives, including the Production-linked Incentive (PLI) program, with the goal of establishing India as a global drone hub by 2030.

To encourage the adoption of nano urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), prominent fertilizer cooperative IFFCO announced in July 2023 its plan to procure 2500 drones for spraying nano soil nutrients. Additionally, the cooperative is training 5000 rural entrepreneurs for this purpose. Employing drones ensures the optimal utilization of soil nutrients. China is one of the fastest-growing markets for agricultural drones. China accounts for 22.5% of global agricultural drone imports and has made significant investments in drone technology for its agricultural sector. China agricultural drone market is expected to grow exponentially, driven by the government’s ambitious plans to make the country a global hub for drone technology. By 2025, China is expected to be one of the largest markets for agricultural drones globally.

An estimated 18% of agricultural businesses in the UK are already utilizing drones, with the industry expected to contribute a 1% boost to the UK's GDP by 2030 (PwC). The rapid adoption of drones is attributed to significant price reductions in recent years, enabling their practical applications in agriculture to expand rapidly. Drones now provide high-quality imagery with higher resolution than what satellite data can achieve, driving their increased usage in the sector.

Agricultural Drone Market in Russia has begun leveraging drone technology for agriculture, though adoption is still in the early stages compared to other countries. The market is developing steadily as drones offer a solution to the country’s vast agricultural land. Russian farms, especially in large agricultural enterprises, use drones for crop monitoring, field mapping, and spraying applications. Drones are particularly useful in monitoring large expanses of land, especially in Siberia and southern agricultural regions. Mexico’s government is promoting the use of drones to modernize its agricultural practices. Several pilot projects and government initiatives are focused on increasing yields, especially for export-oriented crops.

Agricultural Drone Market Competitive Landscape

SenseFly’s eBee X: SenseFly's eBee X, one of the most popular fixed-wing drones in agriculture, received upgrades in 2023, enhancing its payload capabilities to integrate multispectral, thermal, and RGB sensors. This drone can cover up to 1,200 acres in a single flight and create high-resolution maps, making it a top choice for farmers looking to monitor crop health on a large scale.

Wingtra’s Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) Technology: Fixed-wing drones like WingtraOne offer vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities, combining the efficiency of fixed-wing drones with the flexibility of multi-rotor drones. This innovation has allowed the drone to be used in tighter spaces while still providing the benefits of long flight endurance and wide coverage.

In November 2022, DJI agriculture launched Mavic 3 Multispectral drones. The aim of the launch is to enhance drone capabilities along with increasing the productivity tool to individuals and organizations in precision agriculture around the world.
Agricultural Drone Market Scope: Inquire before buying



Global Agricultural Drone Market


Report Coverage
Details


Base Year:
2023
Forecast Period:
2024-2030


Historical Data:
2018 to 2023
Market Size in 2023:
USD 4.6 Bn.


Forecast Period 2024 to 2030 CAGR:
30.70%
Market Size in 2030:
USD 29.97 Bn.


 Segments Covered:
by Type
Fixed Wing Drones
Rotary Drone Blades
Hybrid Drones


by Component
Frames
Controller Systems
Propulsion Systems
Camera Systems
Navigation Systems


by Payload Capacity
Lightweight drones (up to 2kg)
Medium-weight drones (2 to 10kg)
Heavy-weight drones (Above 10kg –up to 25kg)


by Application
Precision Farming
Field Mapping
Livestock Monitoring
Crop Scouting
Others



Agriculture Drone Market, by Region
Asia Pacific (China, South Korea, Japan, India, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Rest of APAC)
Europe (UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Austria and Rest of Europe)
North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)
Middle East and Africa (South Africa, GCC, Egypt, Nigeria and Rest of ME&A)
South America (Brazil, Argentina Rest of South America)

Leading Agricultural Drone Manufacturers include:



Region
Key Players
Headquarter


North America
AeroVironment
Simi Valley, California, USA


AgEagle Aerial Systems
Wichita, Kansas, USA


Sentera
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA


Raptor Maps
Boston, Massachusetts, USA


Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
San Diego, California, USA


DroneDeploy
San Francisco, California, USA


FlightWave Aerospace Systems
Santa Monica, California, USA


American Robotics
Marlborough, Massachusetts, USA


Rantizo
Iowa City, Iowa, USA


UAVOS Inc.
Mountain View, California, USA


Applied Aeronautics
Austin, Texas, USA


Agribotix
Boulder, Colorado, USA


Skyx
Toronto, Canada


Europe
Parrot SA
Paris, France


senseFly
Lausanne, Switzerland


Delair
Toulouse, France


Gamaya
Lausanne, Switzerland


Microdrones
Siegen, Germany


Alpha Unmanned Systems
Madrid, Spain


Asia Pacific
JOUAV
Chengdu, China


DJI
Shenzhen, China


Yamaha Motor Company
Iwata, Shizuoka, Japan


XAG
Guangzhou, China


Topcon Positioning Systems
Livermore, California, USA


Terra Drone Corporation
Tokyo, Japan


Marut Dronetech
Hyderabad, India


Skylark Drone
India


FlyBase
India


ideaForge
India


Asteria Aerospace
India


Aerobotics
South Africa



Frequently asked Questions:

1. What are agricultural drones?
Ans: Agricultural drones are unmanned aerial vehicles designed for farming tasks such as crop monitoring, soil analysis, and precise application of fertilizers and pesticides.

2. What percentage of global drone usage do agricultural drones account for?
Ans: Agricultural drones are expected to account for approximately 15-20% of all drone usage globally in the near future.

3. What are the main types of agricultural drones?
Ans: The market is segmented into fixed-wing drones, rotary drone blades, and hybrid drones, with fixed-wing drones dominating due to their ability to cover large areas efficiently.

4. What are the top manufacturers of agricultural drones?
Ans: Major manufacturers include DJI, XAG, Garuda Aerospace, Yamaha, IO TechWorld, and others, with a focus on advancing technology for precision agriculture.

5. What recent developments are there in the agricultural drone market?
Ans: Recent advancements include the introduction of new drones, government initiatives promoting drone usage, and the establishment of standard operating procedures for pesticide application via drones.