DJI Agriculture has released its fourth annual Agricultural Drone Industry Insight Report, pointing to growing global demand for drone-assisted farming as governments ease regulatory restrictions and producers seek cost-effective, sustainable crop management tools.
The report estimates that 400,000 DJI agricultural drones are in operation across 100 countries, managed by a similarly scaled network of trained operators. The global fleet-nearly double its size in 2020-now treats more than 300 crop types. According to DJI, the adoption of drone technology has helped save approximately 222 million metric tons of water and has reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 30.87 million metric tons.
"Research-based policies and standardized training have transformed agricultural drones into essential farm tools," said Yuan Zhang, head of global sales at DJI Agriculture. "The trend is no longer isolated-it's global, and it's reshaping how farms operate."
Policy reforms drive uptake
DJI attributes the expansion to a broad wave of national reforms and pilot training standards. In Brazil, for instance, the Civil Aviation Authority (ANAC) in 2023 removed airworthiness certification requirements for agricultural drones. The Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA) followed in 2024 by issuing new guidelines to regulate operator training and minimize regulatory loopholes.
