The Sky’s the Limit for Drones on the Farm
October 31, 2025
Written By University of Missouri Extension
Enthusiasm for drone use in agriculture is growing quickly, says Caleb O’Neal, University of Missouri Extension field specialist in plant science.
O’Neal teaches classes about drones across the state. He’s seen interest from farmers, commercial sprayers, cow-calf operators, real estate professionals and some who are just curious about new technology. According to the American Spray Drone Coalition, acres sprayed in the United States increased from 4 million in 2023 to 10.3 million in 2024.
Like the ATVs of the 1980s
O’Neal likens increased drone usage to what has happened over the decades with all-terrain and utility task vehicles.
“Back in the 1980s, it would have been rare to see a UTV being used on a farm,” he says. “Visiting farms today, I’m hard-pressed to find an operation larger than 20 acres that doesn’t have some type of UTV that they utilize regularly.”
This is likely to be the case with drones on the farm, as more farmers and ranchers see what an incredible tool they are, he says. “Drones have progressed from being a neat toy we might get our kids for Christmas to becoming a necessity for many agricultural operations.”
Saving Time and Money
Drones with high-resolution cameras can reduce the need for ground-based field inspections, O’Neal says. They can help row crop farmers identify nutrient deficiencies, locate areas of poor soil health, scout for insects and disease, and make crop stand assessments.
Livestock producers can monitor fences and availability of water and can make sure animals are where they should be without even opening a gate. Drone technology lets producers quickly check estrus indication patches for optimized breeding timing, monitor cows during calving season, search for hidden newborn calves and look out for potential predators.
“Time is one of a farmer’s most valuable and limited resources, so the more of it we can save while still completing the task, the better,” O’Neal says.
Precision Ag Use
But precision agriculture is where drones truly shine.
“Using data-driven insights, drones can enable farmers to apply site-specific fertilizers, pesticides and other inputs to maximize return on investment,” he says. “A pasture with a rash of blackberry weeds in isolated areas has great potential for a prescription herbicide application where only the problematic areas receive treatment via a spray drone, as opposed to a broadcast application where the entirety of the field is treated whether it needs it or not. A targeted spray application like this minimizes waste, reduces negative environmental impact and often can leave more dollars in the wallet of the landowner due to reduced chemical costs.”
Accessibility Appeal
Drones also provide access to hard-to-reach areas of the farm, turning unproductive acreage into a moneymaker.
“In my neck of the woods in southwestern Missouri, the topography can be quite unforgiving, with some areas too harsh to allow access by ground spray rig or even ATV,” O’Neal says. “With an aerial piece of equipment like a utility drone, landowners can now get herbicide applications on these problematic areas and put them into proper forage production.
“With current land values reaching for the heavens, it can be difficult to justify buying more acreage as we try to expand our farming operations. It may be a more prudent investment to ensure every acre of land we already own is highly productive. If we can reclaim a quarter acre here and a half acre there on property we already own, it can add up quickly and make sense from an investment perspective.”
Training Required
While drones are valuable assets in modern farming, they pose inherent risks, as well as require state and federal licensing, O’Neal says.
Training programs hosted by MU Extension equip farmers and applicators with many tools for determining flight parameters of different spray applications. Through research, MU Extension specialists also have found that there are times when conventional equipment, such as a ground spray rig, is a more effective option for application.
“Drones are another tool available to modern farmers, and as most farmers will agree, you can never have too many tools,” O’Neal says. “As drone technology continues to advance, its potential uses in agriculture grow as well. On many farms, drones are saving producers time, reducing input costs and bringing new levels of productivity to their land. Drones are no longer futuristic machines; they are transforming agriculture today, and they are tools that can enable farmers to optimize every acre and ensure their operational success.”