Insights From the DJI Agricultural Annual Report**
Agricultural drones have rapidly evolved from niche tools to essential farm machinery — and the latest DJI Agricultural Annual Report 2025 shows just how big the shift has become. With more than 400,000 DJI agricultural drones now operating across 100+ countries, the industry is entering a new era of efficiency, precision, and sustainability.
At NZ Drones Academy, we’re seeing this transformation first-hand across New Zealand’s horticulture, viticulture, and pastoral farming sectors. This report confirms what many Kiwi growers and contractors already know: drone agriculture is no longer emerging — it’s here, and it’s scaling fast.
According to DJI’s 2024/25 global analysis:
📈 Massive Industry Expansion
- 400,000+ agricultural drones now active worldwide
- 90% growth in agricultural drone use since 2020
- Operations in over 100 countries
This makes agricultural drones one of the fastest-growing sectors in unmanned aviation.
💧 Water Savings at a Global Scale
Drones helped save an estimated 2.22 billion tonnes of water — thanks to more targeted application and reduced overspray.
🌿 Reduced Carbon Footprint
By replacing diesel tractors and reducing chemical use, DJI reports 30.87 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions avoided.
🚜 Real-World Farm Impact
Case studies in the report show the power of drone efficiency:
- Brazil coffee fields: 70% cost reduction vs manual labour
- Romanian vineyards: 3–4 days of manual spraying reduced to 2.5 hours with a T50
- Rice, banana, sunflower & corn farms: Major drift reduction and improved yield uniformity
New Zealand’s farming environment is uniquely suited to drone operations — small blocks, hillside terrain, strict environmental rules, and seasonal labour shortages. DJI’s global insights directly align with Kiwi challenges.
1. Precision Spraying on Hills & Vineyards
The T50 and T100’s enhanced spray systems and downward-airflow design reduce drift and ensure canopy penetration — ideal for vineyards, apples, and kiwifruit.
2. Environmental Compliance
NZ regional councils are increasingly focused on spray-drift, nutrient runoff, and sensitive-area protection.
Drone spraying provides:
- Ultra-precise targeting
- Reduced chemical volumes
- Lower ground disturbance
3. Labour Efficiency
- Contractors and growers across NZ are turning to drones to:
- Replace difficult, unsafe manual spraying
- Reduce quad/tractor risk
- Cover large areas fast
- Fill skill shortages during peak season
4. Cost Savings for Growers
With automated routes, consistent application rates, and reduced wastage, drones quickly pay for themselves — or create new revenue streams for contractors.
With DJI setting the global standard, the future of agricultural drone operations in NZ is clear:
- Higher-capacity drones (T100, FlyCart 30)
- Full farm-mapping and variable-rate spraying
- Autonomous swarms
- Integration with precision-ag platforms
- Professional certification becoming the norm
The barrier to entry will soon be training and compliance, not technology.
As the industry grows, so does the need for proper training, certification, and CAA-approved procedures.
NZ Drones Academy provides the most advanced agricultural RPAS training pathway in NZ, including:
✔ Part 101 Theory & Flight Assessment
Start your drone journey the right way.
✔ Part 102 Certification Training
Required for commercial spraying operations and advanced flying.
✔ Agricultural Spraying Modules (Coming 2025)
Including:
- Drift management
- Spray-system calibration
- Crop-specific drone strategies
- Pump/nozzle optimisation
- Weather & environmental compliance
- Real-world spraying SOPs
- Maintenance training for Agras platforms
✔ Consultancy & Manuals
We help operators build:
- CAA-compliant manuals
- Spray operation SOPs
- Risk assessments
- Pre-flight templates and hazard registers
If you’re gearing up for Agras operations, we can help you become fully compliant and industry-ready.
The DJI report makes one thing clear: agricultural drones are now essential machinery, not experimental tools.
For Kiwi operators, this means:
- New career pathways
- New contracting opportunities
- Higher safety and environmental performance
- Competitive advantage for early adopters
The farms of the future will have both tractors and drones working side by side — and the pilots who get trained now will be positioned at the front of this shift.
Whether you’re a grower, contractor, agronomist, or first-time drone pilot, NZ Drones Academy can help you build the skills, certifications and confidence you need to operate safely and professionally.
👉 Explore our training courses:
👉 Need help preparing for Agras spraying operations?
We can build manuals, provide training and support your Part 102 approval.
