Smart Tech
Drone Spray Applications Expand as New Formulations and Partnerships Boost Efficiency and Field Performance
June 15, 2026 
The increasing sophistication of drone technology makes it possible to meet new and exacting goals. As a result, more ag retailers have added spray application to their menu of services being offered.
Tech Hub LIVE 2026: Where Ag Tech Meets Action
Discover the latest ag retail innovations, precision technology, and AI insights at Tech Hub LIVE this July in Des Moines. Learn more >>
“The industry continues to grow because they’re seeing the benefit of drone spray applications,” says Ryan Rector, Director of Crop Protection at AU Solutions. “While drones are widely used for insecticide and fungicide applications, several herbicides are also applied with drones. In addition, foliar fertilizers applied later in the season represent another new segment of the market that is experiencing steady growth.”
The size of American farm fields at first limited the usefulness of drone applicators with limited capacities. However, with new advances in battery performance increasing flight times between 25% and 50% since 2020, the use of lightweight composite materials, and high-propulsion motors have made drones more functional in more situations, prompting growers to switch from more traditional ground application by tractor or planes, Rector says.
Even these steps haven’t eliminated the need to formulate crop protection products carefully, he adds, “with less volume and limited mixing capability, compatibility, defoaming, drift control, and overall tank stability become much more important. Current research focuses on improving how all the products in that smaller tank work together and delivering performance in a compact package that drones can carry.”
Forming Partnerships
The American Drone Network (ADN), which operates the nation’s largest drone pilot network, has begun two new partnerships that aim to improve drone formulations and their distribution over crops and fields. ADN of Stuttgart, AR, and Springfield, IL-based BRANDT, are teaming up to spread the use of adjuvant, nutritional, and surfactant systems, where substances are added to compounds so they can be more effective treatments. Selected BRANDT products are being made available to pilots in the ADN network.
A second partnership is bringing ADN together with SprayTec to produce concentrated formulations specifically for drone use. This gives ADN’s professional pilot network access to products that cover significantly more acres per tank load by reducing spray volume requirements by 60% to 75%, compared with traditional formulations.
“Agricultural drone technology has matured rapidly, but chemical formulations have lagged behind, forcing pilots to work within product parameters designed for completely different application methods,” says Erik Kellim, CEO at ADN. “SprayTec recognized this disconnect and engineered concentrates specifically for how drone operators actually work.”
For more Smart Tech topics, click here.
Subscribe Today For
