A Berkshire company that is offering drone farming services says it has seen a spurt of orders from farmers who are trying to embrace new-age technology that is economical, highly efficient, and eco-friendly.
The unmanned vehicles that can spray aerial liquid fertilizers or sow crops are presenting farmers with options other than heavy implements and tractors. Not only is this time-saving, but it also avoids soil compaction that is common when regular vehicles are driven on uneven or sloppy land.
Regulatory Thresholds but Surging Interest
Bans now mean drone agriculture services are not allowed to use pesticides, although business operators are hopeful that regulatory approvals will emerge someday.
Director of SAS Land Services Steve Frost likened this aerial agriculture practice of making use of the season:
“We can do it earlier in the season when crops do need fertiliser," is what he said. "In case it is wet and it is not possible to deploy a tractor there, or a tractor would do too much harm, drones are the ideal solution.”
Frost disclosed that it was only after nine months that the company was allowed clearance to fly its gargantuan agricultural drone, evidencing just how closely regulated the technology is.
How Drone Agriculture Services Work
SAS Land Services' drones are built with interchangeable payloads. This makes it possible for them to carry liquid fertilizers or seed dispersing payloads and yet not shake crops already being raised on the ground.
“We can under sow a companion crop once the main crop has been drilled, without causing any damage,” Frost said.
The development of the company has been rapid. During its first year of business in 2024, SAS Land Services had covered about 800 acres. By July 2025, numbers were at 3,500 acres, reflecting the rapid adoption of drone farming services by farmers in the UK.
Environmental and Economic Advantages
Frost supplemented that drones are environmentally positive as well. Because they are propelled by rechargeable battery power, they use far less fuel than tractors. While petrol generators are still necessary for recharging at locations far from base, fuel use is dramatically reduced overall.
"It would take longer and produce a lot more emissions if they were seeding or plowing with a tractor," Frost said. "With drones, it is minimal disruption of the soil, reduced emissions, and significantly greater efficiency."
Drones can carry payloads of 50kg and are flown both manually and along fully autonomous routes. Flight paths are optimized using artificial intelligence and map data, and onboard cameras always seeking out obstacles.
When fully loaded, the drone can travel up to five minutes before it autonomously comes back for a battery replacement. But operators tend to carry only what is required by each work assignment, hence, smoother and quicker operations.
Future Potential: Smarter Crop Production
The next step for the development of drone farming services is in the realm of precision agriculture. Small drones equipped with multispectral cameras can map out farmland and scan crops' health. This data can then guide spraying drones only to those areas that are of concern and achieve maximum output and minimal use of chemicals.
“You can identify crop health with these cameras—the type of things that you can't necessarily see with the naked eye," said Frost. "When pesticides are eventually licensed, drones will reveal their full capabilities by spreading chemicals where it is absolutely necessary."
A Growing Trend of Agriculture
The sector has always been reluctant to adopt new technology, but the sudden explosion of interest in drone agricultural services is nothing short of a sea change. Agriculturalists are increasingly on the hunt for innovations that are efficient, environmentally friendly, and economical.
It isn't about being frugal; it is about far-sightedness and preserving the land for next year and next year and years after." With increased acreage, environmental advantage, and the promise of widened authorization of chemical spraying, the future is bright for drone farming services—an industry that could soon become the pillar of contemporary agriculture.
