2025 top 5: Most read articles on drones

: 08 January 2026; Hits: 246; Rating:

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Future Farming

Throughout 2025, Future Farming closely followed developments in agricultural drone technology, from large-scale spray drones to new business models and service applications. Our coverage once again proved to resonate strongly with readers worldwide.

As we approach the end of 2025 and look ahead to the first days of 2026, we reflect on the stories that captured the most attention over the past year. In the coming days, we will publish a series of top 5 overviews highlighting our best-read articles of 2025. We start with drone technology: an area where innovation, scale and ambition continue to accelerate.

1. Robot swarm boosts big yield in Brazil

A robotic fleet raised soybean yields by 10 bags/hectare, an 18% increase, on a large farm in Goiás. The pioneering system also cut herbicide use by up to 85% over 1,500 hectares

Solix robots at work on soybean large fields of Fazendas Reunidas in the municipality of Rio Verde, in Goiás State, Brazil. The autonomous fleet is monitored in real-time and optimised by the new AI platform “Alice”. – Photos: Fazendas Reunidas

2. New navigation solution promises reliable positioning for drones, even without GPS

Australian company Advanced Navigation and MBDA UK have teamed up to develop a robust navigation system designed to provide accurate absolute positioning for a variety of airborne platforms, even in the absence of GPS signals.

When mounted on a drone, the system uses a camera to capture and analyse the environment below, identifying landmarks and features. These images are then compared with a pre-existing Earth surface database through a technique called map matching, allowing the system to determine its precise location. – Photo: DJI

3. Agtech stands or falls with good support

Collecting orchard data with a drone and creating a task map per plot based on a vigour map. That was the starting point for precision farming company Aurea Imaging. But things can now be done much more precisely and practically.

Agtech stands or falls with good support

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The first Sprayhawk production aircraft has been completed and is undergoing ground testing ahead of delivery to an agricultural partner in the US Midwest later this year. - Photo: Rotor Technologies — The first Sprayhawk production aircraft has been completed and is undergoing ground testing ahead of delivery to an agricultural partner in the US Midwest later this year. – Photo: Rotor Technologies

4. Autonomous ag tech on the radar: 61% of Aussie grain growers want to learn more

A national survey of Australian grain growers has revealed strong interest in autonomous farm machinery, but cost and understanding remain major barriers to adoption.

Tjaart Du Plessis: “With a drone, it is easy to change your droplet size and minimise drift.” – Photo: DJI

Agri Spray Drones, a distributor of agricultural spray drone technology in North America, has announced a strategic partnership with EAVision. This manufacturer specialises in advanced drone technology. This collaboration aims to support US crop growers with tools to enhance efficiency and precision in open-field farming.Agri Spray Drones partners with EAVision