Estonian farmers train to use agrodrones for fieldwork

Estonian farmers are learning how drones can help with field monitoring, seeding and weed control, ERR reported, as the use of agricultural drones remains limited by strict safety rules.

At a training day at the Nurmsi drone centre, the Rural Economy Knowledge Centre showed farmers how drones can be used to monitor fields and carry out tasks such as spraying and spreading materials.

Väätsa Agro has used basic, low-cost drones for six years to gather information from fields and support production decisions. Agronomist Madis Pruus said the company is working with the centre to learn how to analyse light reflected by plants across different parts of the spectrum, which can indicate plant health.

Drones could be used for around a dozen types of agricultural work, according to the centre. Its drone technology engineer Ainar Härm said they can support precision farming, including variable-rate applications and treatment of specific spots. For example, farmers could target a patch of thistles instead of treating an entire field.

Because agricultural drones are light and do not compact soil, they can also be used in spring when fields are soft, the centre’s senior engineer Anti Konsap said. They can fertilise field edges and spread seeds.

Rules on drone use have slowed their adoption. The centre’s agrotechnology researcher Taavi Võsa said plant protection products can now be sprayed from the air under special conditions, but the products must be approved for aerial use. He said the list of approved products is very short.

Participants said drones could become an effective tool for farmers but would not fully replace tractors or people.