Global Drone Usage and Adoption Continues to Skyrocket While Largely Benefiting the Agriculture Industry

/EIN News/ -- PALM BEACH, Fla., April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FN Media Group News Commentary - Drones are being utilized in many markets and one of the ones that is expected to continue to rise is the agriculture drones market. The need to boost agricultural productivity and the labor shortage drive the agriculture drones market growth. Traditional farming faces labor shortages, increasing the demand for advanced agriculture technologies that enhance productivity and minimize manual labor. For instance, the USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture revealed a loss of 141,733 farms in the US from 2017 to 2022, highlighting the urgent need for solutions to improve efficiency and promote sustainable farming practices. According to a report from MarketsAndMarkets the global agriculture drones market which grew to from USD 2.01 billion in 2024 is expected to reach a CAGR of 32.0% during the forecast period (2029). The report said: “Partnerships and the introduction of new products will present profitable prospects for industry participants in the coming five years. Favorable government policies, subsidies, and regulations coupled with increasing investments by market players drive the usage of digital agriculture tools like drones. The US FAA's exemptions for the use of agriculture drones are anticipated to hold several opportunities for the market. Favorable government policies, subsidies, and regulations coupled with increasing investments by market players to drive the usage of digital agriculture tools like drones are acting as drivers for the agriculture drone market. Public-private partnerships create innovation in developing tailored solutions to known problems, especially in agriculture, which receives research and development funding from government initiatives. Extension education and training are also brought about, which educates the farmer concerning the capabilities of the drones thus making the farmer able to utilize the tools appropriately.” Active Companies in the drone industry today include ZenaTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZENA), Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA), Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT), Safe Pro Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAI), AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS).

MarketsAndMarkets concluded: “Furthermore, governments' propensity for sustainability in environmental matters helps the cause of drones meant to stretch resources applied in terms of water and fertilizers… Simplified regulatory frameworks facilitate easier adoption, enabling farmers to implement drone technology into their operations without extensive bureaucratic hurdles. Monetary benefits, such as subsidies and tax exemptions, greatly help reduce the input costs of drones, hence enabling more farmers to adopt the technology.”

ZenaTech (NASDAQ:ZENA) ZenaDrone Granted FAA Part 137 Approval for Agricultural Drone Operations Addressing a $6 Billion Global Agricultural Drone Market Growing to $24 Billion by 2032 - ZenaTech, Inc. (FSE: 49Q) (BMV: ZENA) ("ZenaTech"), a technology company specializing in AI (Artificial Intelligence) drones, Drone as a Service (DaaS), enterprise SaaS and Quantum Computing solutions, announces its subsidiary ZenaDrone has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to conduct commercial agricultural operations under the rules and regulations of 14 CFR Part 137 for crop spraying and precision agriculture. This approval allows ZenaDrone to commence final testing and deployment of the ZenaDrone 1000 drone for aerial spraying of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, fertilizers, and seeds for agricultural, environmental and government customers. The company plans to sell these solutions through its Drone as a Service, or DaaS, business model as well as selling the drone hardware and solution directly to larger commercial farms, agribusinesses, and cooperatives.

“FAA part 137 approval now enables our team to finish final testing and commence sales of our agriculture solutions. Drones offer a more precise, efficient, cost effective and safer alternative to traditional methods while reducing chemical use, crop damage, and manual work, as well as being able to reach hard-to-access areas. We plan, test, then deploy our solutions through our DaaS model in the US first, followed by Ireland where we have a history of pioneering development work in agricultural drones,” said CEO Shaun Passley, Ph.D.

According to Fortune Business Insights the global agriculture drone market is projected to grow from USD 6.10 billion in 2024 to USD 23.78 billion by 2032, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.5%. This growth reflects a growing demand for precision agriculture, advances in drone technology, cost-effectiveness, government support and incentive programs, and growing awareness and education.

The ZenaDrone 1000 is an autonomous drone, in a VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) quadcopter design with a total of eight rotors on its two fixed wings; it is considered a medium-sized drone measuring 12X7 feet in size. It is designed for stable flight, maneuverability, heavy lift capabilities up to 40 kilos, incorporating innovative software technology, AI, sensors, and purpose-built attachments like crop spraying, along with rugged and compact hardware featuring foldable wings enabling the drone to fit into the back of a truck.

ZenaTech’s DaaS business will incorporate the ZenaDrone 1000 and the IQ series of multifunction autonomous drones to provide a variety of service solutions from land surveys to power line inspections or power washing, made accessible and cost effective through an Uber-like business model on a regular subscription or pay-per-use basis. Customers can conveniently access drones for eliminating manual or time-consuming tasks achieving superior results, such as for surveying, inspections, security and law enforcement, or precision farming applications, without having to buy, operate, or maintain the drones themselves. Continued… Read this full release by visiting: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-zena/

Other recent developments in the markets include:

Puna Bio recently announced that it had closed a new round of founding led by Corteva, Inc., Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA) through its Corteva Catalyst platform. The investment from one of the world´s leading agricultural technology companies, and other investors, will support the further development of Puna Bio's product portfolio based on extremophile organisms.

Unlike traditional pesticides and fertilizers, Puna Bio's innovative products are based on natural solutions that enhance nutrient uptake, tolerance to stress and crop quality. Their biological (non-GMO) seed treatments are based on the unique capabilities of extremophiles isolated from the highest and driest desert on Earth, La Puna of Argentina.

“Our solution, based on ancient bacteria dating back 3.5 billion years, maximizes productivity by 10 to 15 percent in fertile soils and revitalizes degraded soils that would normally be too acidic or salinized to be productive,” explains Franco Martínez Levis, Puna Bio's CEO and co-founder. “With so much of the world's agricultural land on the path to degradation and weather patterns becoming more extreme worldwide, our discovery platform ensures that we can continue feeding the global population in a sustainable way.”

Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: RCAT), a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, recently announced that the Company has entered into securities purchase agreements with certain institutional investors for the purchase and sale of 4,724,412 shares of common stock, pursuant to a registered direct offering, expected to result in gross proceeds of approximately $30 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses. The offering is expected to close on or about April 11, 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

The Company intends to use net proceeds from the offering for general corporate purposes, including working capital. Northland Capital Markets is acting as the exclusive placement agent for the transaction.

The offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-283242), which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on December 11, 2024. A final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the registered direct offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC's website located at http://www.sec.gov. Additionally, when available, electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained, when available, from Northland Securities, Inc., 150 South Fifth Street, Suite 3300, Minneapolis, MN.

Safe Pro Group Inc. (NASDAQ: SPAI) recently announced that its SpotlightAITM OnSite (OnSite) real-time, edge-based, small object threat detection technology, has successfully completed operations in active minefields in Ukraine. This successful deployment highlights the Company’s patented capability to rapidly identify and instantly map live explosive threats including small anti-personnel cluster munitions and landmines scattered over large areas. Building on over two years of real-world battlefield testing, this milestone in the Company’s development roadmap demonstrates the ability to deliver edge-based small object threat detection reducing a soldier’s cognitive load and representing the next generation of force protection. To view a video of SpotlightAITM Onsite please click here.

“Evolving threats like remote mining where everyday drones are strategically delivering small mines is a new critical threat profile that our edge-based system is uniquely designed to address. Our recent operational success confirmed that our AI models can reduce the cognitive load on soldiers who are already heavily tasked and may not have the time to recognize explosive threats in their path. This a significant step forward on the Edge where drone-based small object threat detection for force protection is responding to the rapidly changing modern battlefield. Building upon our unmatched real-world experience in detecting, identifying and locating small explosive threats in Ukraine, we believe OnSite can deliver a new level of enhanced situational awareness that will allow military, government and humanitarian personnel to safely conduct their critical missions with greatly enhanced safety,” said Dan Erdberg, Chairman and CEO of Safe Pro Group Inc. “The increasing number of countries exiting the Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel landmines will likely lead to an increased proliferation of deadly anti-personnel mines and that is why we are committed to the further development and deployment of our patented technology so that we can help protect our soldiers and our allies.”

AgEagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE: UAVS) recently announced the launch of its eBee VISION next generation application software featuring a variety of critical updates. Of particular note, is the capability for manual position updates with map referencing to provide precise navigation even in GNSS-denied areas where satellite signals are unavailable or unreliable due to various factors.

AgEagle CEO Bill Irby commented, “Of the many new features provided in our latest software update, overcoming GNSS-denied shortfalls marks a significant leap forward in drone operations especially for defense personnel, public safety agencies and industrial teams working in high-stakes, GNSS-denied environments. Whether operating in dense urban centers, near critical installations, or in contested zones with active signal interference, our global eBee VISION customers can now maintain full navigational command of their drone using only the camera and map-based interface. This feature directly addresses a core challenge faced by tactical and industrial drone operators in today’s complex mission environments. Our technical team will continue to work relentlessly on refinements and ongoing advancements to ensure AgEagle remains at the forefront of UAV innovation.”

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