Summary
This systematic review of peer-reviewed literature (2020–2024) evaluates the current and emerging role of drone technology in precision agriculture, examining diagnostic applications such as crop monitoring and multispectral mapping, alongside interventional uses including precision spraying and seeding. The authors synthesise evidence on AI and IoT integration for improving disease detection, yield forecasting, and water management, whilst critically identifying adoption barriers—particularly regulatory constraints on beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations and economic barriers for smallholder farmers. The review positions drones as potentially transformative for sustainable agriculture, provided that regulatory harmonisation, energy autonomy, and economic accessibility are improved.
Regional applicability
The findings are broadly applicable to United Kingdom agriculture, where precision agriculture adoption is growing and regulatory frameworks for drone operations (Civil Aviation Authority oversight) are evolving. However, the review's emphasis on smallholder economic barriers may be less directly relevant to the UK context, where farm sizes and capital availability differ from many regions studied. Regulatory recommendations on BVLOS harmonisation are pertinent to UK policy development.
Key measures
Drone platform types, sensor technologies (multispectral, hyperspectral), navigation systems, crop monitoring metrics, yield estimation accuracy, irrigation management outcomes, early disease detection capability, regulatory frameworks, economic accessibility indicators
Outcomes reported
The review synthesises drone applications in agriculture including crop monitoring, multispectral mapping, precision spraying, and drone-assisted seeding, alongside integration of AI and IoT for disease detection, yield estimation, and irrigation management. It identifies regulatory, technological, and socio-economic barriers to adoption and opportunities for future development including drone swarms and improved decision-support systems.
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