Queensland has long been a leader in agricultural innovation, and drones—also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)—are now one of the most rapidly adopted technologies across the state.
How drones are transforming Queensland agriculture
Flying over vast landscapes, rugged terrain and remote paddocks, drones are helping agricultural businesses work smarter, improve accuracy, and reduce the time and labour needed for everyday operations.
From vegetable farms and sugarcane enterprises to cattle properties and broadacre cropping systems, drones are shaping the way producers monitor, manage, and make decisions across their businesses.
Show transcript
Narrator: The use of drones in vegetable farming and agriculture in general has been increasing in recent years. Despite the hype around their operation, drones are essentially an aerial platform to carry out different tasks or capture information based on the payload or sensors they carry.
The advantage of drones over other crop-sensing platforms is that they can be deployed easily, cover relatively large areas quickly, and achieve ultra-high-resolution image capture. The sensor is the critical element for data capture and determines what the drone can be used for.
Options include:
- digital RGB images for 3D crop models or automated plant counts
- multispectral sensors for crop sensing
- thermal cameras
- beneficial insect dispersal
- chemical tanks for spot spraying
Stuart Grigg is a private vegetable agronomist based in Werribee, Victoria. He began using drones as part of his agronomy services.
Stuart Grigg (AgHort Consulting): The AgTech space is a really interesting one that I've been watching for a number of years. There are 2 parts of the AgTech or drone space that I’ve focused on for my business and providing value to clients.
First, plant counts—understanding exactly how many plants are in the field, and how many have established. This allows us to forecast how much will be harvested and add value to businesses further down the supply chain, which are marketing produce to retailers and, ultimately, to consumers.
Second, mapping—looking at crop uniformity across a field, crop responses to soil types, responses to soil nutrition, and overall trends in crop uniformity. We relate this to plant counts and estimate the expected yield from each crop at harvest.
Narrator: Automated plant counts can be used to forecast yield in hand-harvested crops such as lettuce and brassicas, which currently lack yield-monitoring capability. Validation of the core algorithms by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has demonstrated accuracies higher than 99%.
Andrew Johanson is the Sustainable Farming Practices Manager at Mulgowie, a farming company. He has been collaborating with DPI to understand how drones can add value and provide vital information to vegetable businesses.
Andrew Johanson (Mulgowie Farming Company): We've worked hard with DPI and other innovators. They've been very helpful in getting us on the front foot with the latest technology and determining which direction to take with innovation and sustainability.
Initially, a lot of people just wanted to try drones, flying them around and seeing what they could do.
While a significant amount of data has been produced, challenges have revolved around interpreting that data and managing the great volume of it. However, we’ve seen huge improvements in overcoming those obstacles, and I find drones pretty exciting. The opportunities are endless, and we still have so much to learn about what they can do for us.
Narrator: Mulgowie has also been using drones for crop sensing to estimate yield and maturity in corn and green beans. Multispectral imagery from drones can detect areas of higher and lower plant vigour, which impacts crop maturity at harvest.
While the imagery can highlight underperforming or stressed areas, it cannot determine the cause of the stress or growth constraints. For that, ground-truthing in the field is required.
With all the hype surrounding drones in agriculture, professionals like Stuart Grigg and the team at Mulgowie Farming Company are showing how drones can provide practical and meaningful data to improve outcomes for vegetable farming businesses.
End of transcript.
Taking agriculture to new heights
Drones come in several designs—Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL), multi-rotor, and fixed-wing—each offering different advantages for Queensland’s diverse production systems.
Their key strengths include:
- Accessibility – Low-cost, lightweight, and suitable for farms of all sizes.
- Safety and efficiency – Able to reach difficult, steep, or flood-affected areas without putting people at risk.
- High-resolution insights – Cameras, sensors, GPS and spatial data deliver precise, real-time information to improve decision-making.
Across Queensland, producers are already using drones to reduce input costs, protect the environment, and streamline day-to-day tasks, such as sugarcane growers using drone-based herbicide applications to safeguard waterways leading to the Great Barrier Reef.
How producers are using drones on-farm
Water and asset management
Drones enable rapid inspections of irrigation systems, tanks, troughs, and dams, especially on large or remote properties. Producers can detect leaks, check water levels and plan repairs without countless hours of manual checking.
Stock monitoring and livestock management
Drone use among cattle producers has rapidly increased due to the advantages it provides across Queensland’s extensive grazing regions.
Producers are using drones to:
- perform accurate stock counts across large paddocks
- locate cattle quickly after storms, mustering, or natural disturbances
- monitor animal health and behaviour from a distance
- inspect fences, gates and remote waters during mustering seasons
- check for calving issues without disturbing stock.
A growing number of producers are also learning to move cattle humanely and safely using drones. When operated correctly, drones can support:
- low-stress mustering techniques
- gentle guidance of stock through paddocks
- reduced pressure on animals
- fewer helicopters, motorbikes or horses for routine movements
- lower labour, fuel and safety risks.
Training providers and industry experts are now working with producers to build capability in low-stress drone livestock handling, ensuring safe, ethical, and animal-centred approaches.
Improving crop health and optimising yield
Using multispectral cameras, thermal sensors and NDVI imaging, drones help identify:
- water stress
- nutrient deficiencies
- pest and disease outbreaks
- crop variability.
These insights support precision agriculture, enabling targeted treatments that boost yields while reducing input costs and environmental impact.
Agricultural spraying and targeted application
Drones are increasingly being used for precision spraying, offering advantages in:
- spot spraying weeds in difficult terrain
- treating small infected patches without driving across a whole paddock
- applying inputs in wet or inaccessible areas
- reducing soil compaction
- lowering chemical usage.
Spray drones are now capable of applying fertilisers, herbicides, and foliar treatments with high accuracy thanks to onboard sensors, automated height control, and precise droplet-size management.
Where safety and licensing conditions are met, spray drones can increase efficiency, improve coverage, and reduce operational risks, especially in sloped, wet or remote areas.
Supporting labour allocation and daily operations
With drone mapping, producers can understand exactly where weeds, pests, erosion or waterlogging occur, allowing precise planning and targeted crew deployment. This saves labour, reduces repetitive field checks, and supports better management decisions.
Advantages only drones can deliver
Why are more Queensland farmers embracing drones on their farms?
- Drones enable farmers to quickly scan large areas, saving valuable time and manpower.
- They provide extreme accuracy in data collection and imaging, highlighting otherwise hidden problems in crops and land.
- Cost-effective solutions come from targeted applications, which reduce input costs and ongoing operating expenses.
- Their adaptability enables them to be used effectively across a range of situations to collect relevant information that supports improved decision-making.
These benefits, combined with their ability to support sustainable practices, make agricultural drones a cornerstone of Queensland’s AgTech future.
The future of drone technology
The potential for drones only continues to grow. Predictions suggest the global agricultural drone market will surge from $1.9 billion in 2020 to $8.4 billion in 2028, driven by the evolving capabilities of these drones.
Emerging technologies promise exciting advancements:
- Innovations like automated image recognition, facilitating weed and pest identification, will make farming even smarter and more efficient.
- Drones will increasingly operate independently, requiring minimal human intervention.
- The adoption of regular crop mapping will provide new ways to assess and manage farms. In combination with smart tractors and implements, gains in input-use efficiency will open opportunities to increase yield, profitability, and sustainability.
As with other digital agriculture technologies, such as smart tractors, precision implements, autonomous ground-based robotics, and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) for seabed mapping and industry inspections, these technologies will continue to advance agriculture. Drones are poised to play an even greater role in farming.
The future is bright for Queensland farmers ready to adopt these innovations and transform their operations.
Using drones on your farm
Drones are transforming agriculture in Queensland, helping farmers work smarter, improve yields, and protect resources. Their versatility makes them a practical solution for both large agribusinesses and smaller farms.
- Use drones for tasks like precision spraying, stock monitoring, mapping weed infestations, or inspecting irrigation systems.
- Work with AgTech specialists to choose the right technology for your needs.
Queensland’s AgTech network, including Smart Farms, training programs, and trials, provides valuable resources to help farmers adopt drone technology safely and effectively.
Legal obligations
Producers must ensure compliance when operating drones on their properties.
To use drones legally and responsibly:
- Follow Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) rules for drone operation, including air safety and licensing requirements.
- If using drones for chemical spraying, obtain the necessary licence from Biosecurity Queensland.
- Adhere to the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) guidelines for safe and legal chemical use.
By meeting these requirements, you can use drones to improve efficiency and sustainability while supporting Queensland's commitment to safe and responsible agricultural practices.
Last updated: 10 Dec 2025