Agricultural Drone Progress at Risk from Regulators: The Kiplinger Letter

A drone flying at sunset.

To help you understand what's going on in the agriculture sector and what we expect to happen in the future, our highly experienced Kiplinger Letter team will keep you abreast of the latest developments and forecasts (Get a free issue of The Kiplinger Letter or subscribe). You'll get all the latest news first by subscribing, but we will publish many (but not all) of the forecasts a few days afterward online. Here’s the latest…

As bigger and better agriculture-spraying drones are developed and sold, the U.S. risks falling behind other countries with fewer regulatory restraints, most notably China. 

Drones over 55 pounds operate under rules that are separate from smaller drones, including needing individual exemptions. In 2022, the federal government granted 366 exemptions, the vast majority for agriculture-spraying applications. That was a 450% increase from 2021, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which forecasts years of robust growth of drones over crops, orchards, etc.

Chinese drone maker DJI is reportedly readying a big update to its Agras T40, which already can spread 1.5 tons of fertilizer per hour. The T60 is poised to have a bigger payload capacity for fertilizer or pesticide and better batteries. Texas-based Hylio has a drone that can carry up to 18 gallons and covers 50 acres per hour. Makers say benefits include better and more effective fertilizer coverage, plus less risk and cheaper operation than using traditional, human-piloted aircraft.

This forecast first appeared in The Kiplinger Letter, which has been running since 1923 and is a collection of concise weekly forecasts on business and economic trends, as well as what to expect from Washington, to help you understand what’s coming up to make the most of your investments and your money. Subscribe to The Kiplinger Letter.