The Agricultural Drones Market size was valued at USD 1,197.05 Million in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 6,029.86 Million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 19.68% from 2023 to 2030.

Agricultural Drones Market Definition

Agricultural drones are unmanned aerial vehicles that are used to improve agriculture operations by increasing crop production and monitoring crop growth. Drones’ digital imaging capabilities provide a more comprehensive view of the fields, which improves farm efficiency. It allows for the resolution of issues such as soil variances, irrigation, and fungal infestations. It’s used to keep track of animals, farming, and other things. Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, are small flying platforms that weigh up to 20 kg (50 lbs). They cannot be boarded by a human body due to their size (yet).

Drones can be controlled in two ways: directly, with a human controlling the vehicle using a wireless remote, and autonomously, with the vehicle controlling itself and following a route based on data from GPS or other sensors. Drones in agriculture help to reduce pollution. Pesticide spraying in the fields can be inconsistent. Drones in farming can assist farmers in determining where to spray pesticides equally, as too much can cause a wide range of health problems. There is an option in which the drones are equipped with the necessary equipment to scan the ground and evenly spray the chemical, hence reducing the number of chemicals utilized by agricultural producers.

Agricultural Drones Market Overview

Due to rising demand for food production and consumption, the worldwide supply chain is at an all-time high and commodity prices are at an all-time low, boosting the global agriculture industry's need for a modern farming solution. Additionally, drones have revolutionised the global agriculture industry by increasing efficiency, decreasing costs, and increasing profitability. The global Agricultural Drones Market is still in its infancy; however, technological advances in drones are anticipated to boost market expansion.

Agricultural Drones Market share is anticipated to expand significantly during the forecast period as a result of a rise in venture capital funding for drone deployment in agriculture enterprises worldwide. In February 2021, for instance, Drone Deploy raised USD 50 million in Series E' investment. Drone technology is combined with advanced technologies such as sensors, RGB cameras, and other analytical tools for comprehensive field monitoring. Rapid technology advances are enhancing the capacity of drones to provide 3D maps for real-time agricultural study. During the projected period, the increasing need for automated agricultural gadgets is anticipated to fuel the growth of the Agricultural Drones Market.

The severe rules imposed by several nations on the flight of unidentified aerial systems at a specified altitude are a key source of concern for the company. In addition, a lack of awareness among big farmer communities in certain nations limits the demand for these gadgets. The FAA of the United States has issued exemptions for the use of agricultural drones. Recently, the FAA's Small UAS Rule has had a substantial impact on how drones can and are used in a range of industries, including agricultural. The rules, which are largely concerned with the agriculture business, allow farmers and ranchers to utilise drones and specify the standards and provisions for remote sensing operations over farms and ranches.

Market Dynamics

Growth Factor

Agriculture is viewed as the most promising sector of the economy because it must supply for the world's continually expanding population. Lack of skilled agricultural labourers or farmers, lack of fertilisers, extreme weather conditions and their ineffective use, illnesses, infections, allergies, and other health issues resulting from the use of chemicals such as pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, or animal/insect stings have all been problems for the agricultural industry. However, the agriculture industry is currently focused on growth through employing more complex and technologically advanced equipment. The agricultural drone is a self-piloting flying cart with the potential to monitor crop growth and boost crop productivity. Innovative sensors and digital imaging capabilities enable farmers to watch their fields from a greater height and avoid hassles such as fungus and insect infestations, irrigation issues, soil changes, and other obstacles. Due to the development of sophisticated software solutions for data analytics and field service, favourable government policies and incentives to promote the agricultural sectors, and increasing consumer awareness of the benefits of agricultural drones, the market for agricultural drones is expected to expand at a significant CAGR over the forecast period.

Key Market Drivers

The use of small drones in agriculture is growing

Numerous technical improvements have had a positive impact on agricultural production during the past several years. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are one of these significant advances, and they are currently used extensively in agricultural operations with the assistance of cutting-edge technology and software. The development of autonomous, unmanned, and miniature rotorcraft has been made possible by technical advances in components, sensors, and sizes. According to experts, this is one of the important factors that will drive market expansion.

Key Market Challenges

The creation of drone usage restrictions in response to data privacy issues

Due to farmers' lack of knowledge, it is difficult for drone manufacturers to approach their potential customers. In addition, because individuals lack the abilities to utilise the tools (software programmes) that assess and enhance efficiency; they find it unattractive to purchase agriculture drones, which hampers the market's expansion. Cybersecurity concerns are a further factor hindering market progress; if they are handled, the industry may expand in the foreseeable future.

Key Market Opportunities

The growing use of sustainable farming methods to promote the use of agriculture drones

Agriculture is increasingly utilising information and communication technology (ICTs) to address environmental challenges. In order to feed the world's growing population, farming communities must be adaptable and resilient in the face of substantial climate change-related problems. Utilizing the development and transformational power of ICTs provides an excellent platform for not just addressing some of these issues, but also expediting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. (SDGs). When cutting-edge technology is applied to conventional agricultural practises, production and efficiency will alter. Utilizing increased data analytics, farmers who implement sustainable agricultural techniques may be able to speed their production operations. Increased investment in agricultural drones and accompanying equipment would also boost the market for agricultural drones.

Segments Insight

Type Insights

In addition, it is anticipated that the sub segment of rotary-wing aircraft will experience the highest increase throughout the projection period. Rotary drones are the most prevalent type since they are the easiest to manage in terms of direction and altitude. These drones offer the optimal combination of control, lift, manoeuvrability, and cost. The DJI Matrice 200 series, sold by DJI Technology Co., Ltd., is a common example of a multi-propeller drone. The DJI Matrice 210 RTK provides a payload of up to 2KG and a range of up to 7KM, which is sufficient for the vast majority of agricultural surveying applications. The fixed-wing drone sub segment is anticipated to have a considerable proportion of the global market, with revenues of $387.5 million in 2020 and $1,613 million over the forecast period, and a CAGR of 19.0%. Fixed-wing aircraft have the advantage of being able to travel long distances on a single battery. Due to their more efficient engines, the majority of commercial models can fly for at least an hour and cover an area of approximately 400 hectares, making them ideal for monitoring oil pipelines or electrical pylons.

Component Insights

In 2021, the component is predicted to hold the largest market share for agricultural drones. Increasing need for replacement, upgrading, and modification of drone hardware components to improve drone lifespan and performance and gain a competitive advantage is driving the growth of this market.

The manufacturers' increased emphasis on upgrading and designing drone structures so that they can operate in any extreme climatic conditions is also a factor in the growth of this market. Nevertheless, the software industry is likely to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period due to advancing software technology and a growing demand for software to increase data analysis in precision agriculture.

Application Insights

In 2021, the crop spray segment of the global agriculture drone market is anticipated to expand at the fastest rate. In drone farming, crop spray drones used for irrigation, fertiliser, and pesticide treatments make rice paddies, small fields, and other waterlogged systems, as well as steep hills or difficult-to-access regions, more effective. Due to the fact that drones can be equipped with ultrasonic echoes, GPS, and lasers to maintain their height above the crop, such systems may be included into precision agriculture. These enhancements to crop spraying drones will fuel the sub segment’s expansion in the future years.

Crop monitoring drones give data with a higher resolution than conventional satellite systems, allowing for faster detection of stressed areas, disease infestations, and actual plant counts. In fields up to 50 ha, drones are believed to be able to apply fertilisers and pesticides up to five times faster than conventional equipment, and by focusing solely on areas requiring treatment, as identified by crop monitoring, up to sixty percent of materials can be saved. The autonomous drones segment of the global agriculture drone market would grow at the fastest rate and achieve $2,243.9 million by 2030, compared to $512.9 million in 2020. Autonomous agriculture drones have superior ground control systems and use automatic supervisory methods to reduce the number of operators required to oversee the fleet. Many agricultural applications, such as data gathering missions and mapping with drones, are now executed autonomously. In addition, the subsegment is anticipated to have significant development in the coming years as a result of advancements in autonomous technology, such as automated seeders and autonomous pollination drones that can operate independently and check crop health.

Manually operated drones include the aerial section of the drone, the pilot operating it from a ground control station, the sensors mounted on the UAV, and the software that can be used to interpret the data acquired by the sensors. Farmers are requesting a greater number of manually controlled drones with many sensors for a more precise and diverse crop management system. The sub-development categories are projected to benefit from the easing of regulatory restrictions on the use of drones and global support for drone startup companies.

Regional Analysis

During the forecast period, the market for agricultural drones in Asia-Pacific is predicted to increase significantly. To expedite the adoption of agricultural drones, countries in the region are steadily increasing their R&D spending. Additionally, the expansion of venture capital supplied to UAV manufacturers in the region has contributed to the expansion of the industry. Numerous enterprises in the region are developing inexpensive, efficient UAVs for a broader range of agricultural applications.

The market for agricultural drones is dominated by the continent of North America. Utilizing UAVs for tasks such as mowing and ploughing to boost productivity is projected to have an effect on the growth of the business. As interest in precision agriculture for crop scouting and field mapping has increased, farmers have began utilising UAVs in their operations.

Scope Analysis:

Recent Developments

• On November 16, 2021, DJI, a top producer of agricultural drones, announced the release of two new products, the T40 and T20P, which are designed specifically for agricultural tasks like applying pesticides and fertilizer to fruit plants.
• On January 27, 2021, AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc., a US-based manufacturer of drones, announced the purchase of MicaSense, Inc. from Parrot, a European consortium of drone manufacturers, for more than USD 23 million. Numerous top fixed-wing and multicopter drone manufacturers, including DraganFly, senseFly, Quantum-Systems, and Wingtra, have relationships with the acquired firm. Additionally, MicaSense has obtained a patent for its very accurate thermal and multispectral sensors used in aerial mapping and analytics that meet the requirements of the agricultural sector.

Market Segmentation

This portion of the study on the Agriculture Drone Market gives detailed data on the segments at the country and regional level, thereby aiding the strategist in determining the target demographics for the relevant product or service and the impending opportunities.

By Type

• Fixed-Wing
• Rotary-Wing
• Others

By Component

• Hardware
• Frames
• Control System
• Propulsion System
• Navigation System
• Payload
• Avionics
• Others
• Software
• Imaging Software
• Data Management Software
• Data Analytics Software
• Others

By Application

• Crop Monitoring
• Soil & Field Analysis
• Planting & Seeding
• Crop Spray
• Others

By Companies

• DJI (China)
• 3DR (US)
• Ondas Networks (AMERICAN ROBOTICS) (US)
• ideaForge (India)
• DroneDeploy (US)
• MICRODRONES (Germany)
• PrecisionHawk, Inc. (US)
• Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (US)
• AeroVironment, Inc. (US)
• AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (US)
• ISRAEL AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES (Israel)
• Delair (France)
• senseFly (Switzerland)
• Sentera (US)
• Trimble Inc. (US)
• THANOS (India)