The expanding role of multirotor UAVs in precision agriculture with applications AI integration and future prospects

Summary

This narrative review synthesises current knowledge on multirotor UAV applications in precision agriculture, emphasising the role of advanced sensors and artificial intelligence in improving crop monitoring and early pest/disease detection. The authors identify significant operational and regulatory barriers—including limited flight endurance, payload constraints, and data processing complexity—whilst highlighting emerging technologies such as improved battery systems, IoT integration, and swarm operations as promising pathways to overcome these limitations. The review concludes that multirotor drones offer substantial potential for sustainable, resource-efficient agriculture, particularly in developing regions.

Regional applicability

The review does not specify a particular geography and synthesises global literature. Findings are broadly applicable to United Kingdom precision agriculture contexts, though implementation of drone technology in UK farming would need to account for established regulatory frameworks (CAA rules), terrain variability, and climate conditions. Transferability to developing regions is explicitly noted by the authors as a key application area.

Key measures

Classification of multirotor UAV systems; technological innovations in sensor technology and AI/ML integration; economic potential; operational constraints and regulatory barriers; application effectiveness in crop monitoring and disease detection

Outcomes reported

The review examines classification, applications, and advantages of multirotor UAVs in precision agriculture, with focus on crop monitoring, disease detection, and resource management enabled by advanced sensors and AI/ML techniques. It identifies technological challenges (flight duration, payload constraints, regulatory issues) and emerging solutions (battery technology, IoT integration, UAV swarm operations).

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