In a Policy Forum, Ben Belton and colleagues discuss the rapidly growing use of drone technology in agricultural applications and the important, yet understudied, benefits and trade-offs involved. “There are strong indications that drones can raise the efficiency and productivity of farming, improve worker safety, and enhance rural livelihoods, but these impacts have yet to be evaluated rigorously,” Belton et al. write. “Applied interdisciplinary research and corresponding policy responses are urgently needed to steer the global drone revolution in ways that make agriculture more sustainable.” Over the past decade, drones have become a profoundly transformative technology. Of their many uses, agriculture has emerged as one of the most significant and fastest-growing domains, particularly in Asia and Latin America. On farms worldwide, drones now undertake tasks ranging from sowing seeds and distributing fertilizers to monitoring crops, surveying livestock, and most prominently, spraying pesticides and other agrochemicals. As such, its thought that drones may help solve the challenge of producing more food with fewer resources. According to Belton et al. drones could enhance farming sustainability by boosting yields, reducing waste, and lowering chemical exposure, while also creating new opportunities for rural livelihoods—though risks of labor displacement, gender inequality, and chemical drift remain. To maximize benefits and manage these challenges, governments should support inclusive adoption through financing, training, and smart regulation. They should invest in research and infrastructure, say the authors, and establish safeguards on labor transitions, environmental safety, and data sovereignty, ensuring drones advance both sustainability and equity.
