A new national study reveals some bullish baseline trends regarding how American farmers are approaching agricultural drone technology and related equipment as an emerging cornerstone of crop production.
The research, “Farmer Perceptions of Agricultural Drones,” was sponsored by SweetWater Technologies, Agri Spray Drones, the National Corn Growers Association and Syngenta. The project was also deployed in partnership with CropLife America, The Fertilizer Institute, the Agricultural Retailers Association and D.C. Legislative and Regulatory Services and was conducted by Stratovation Group.
“Agriculture is in a pivotal position where emerging technologies like drones are becoming tangible tools for production efficiency,” said Cam Camfield, CEO and founder of Stratovation Group, a leading agriculturally focused research and communications firm. “Farmers told us that drones or drone services are becoming a core piece of their operational infrastructure.”
The research, which surveyed full-time, large-scale row crop farmers across the U.S., provides solid baseline insights into both the adoption drivers and resistance points shaping the future of agricultural technology at the field level.
“This research separates the real-life field-level signals from the industry hype,” Camfield said. “It spotlights what’s actually accelerating or hindering adoption by farmers at the ground level.”
Several key findings from the survey signal a high degree of market momentum for the agricultural drone sector:
- Perception drives value: Drone owners have a very positive perception of drones, with 67% expressing positive impressions and none having negative perceptions.
- A majority of current drone users (72%) say they plan to purchase or lease a new drone in the future, with 53% indicating they would do so within the next three years.
- More than half of current non-drone users (61%) indicate they also plan to purchase or lease a new agricultural drone in the future, with 30% indicating that would occur within the next three years, which indicates a widening gateway to mainstream adoption.
- The market continues to be wide open since more than 67% of respondents indicated they currently do not use drones of any type on their farm.
- Of the farmers currently using drones, the most common drone type by far was multi-rotor drones at 89%.
“What stood out wasn’t just the current use,” Camfield said. “It was the depth of future intent, even among farmers who haven’t yet made the leap. The expressed appetite to expand is real, and the pattern suggests the emergence of full-scale drone programs on farms, not just one-off experiments.”
Stratovation Group is making the comprehensive research package, including raw data, insights, and visual cross-tabs, available for purchase. The full dataset includes cross-tabulations, longitudinal comparisons, and insights into brand favorability and usage trends. Interested stakeholders can learn about securing full access to the research by contacting Cam Camfield at cam@stratovationgroup.com.
Camfield will also be a featured presenter during the 2026 Spray Drone End User Conference, January 25-29 in Kansas City, where he will share select topline results of the survey with attendees. More information about that conference is available here.
The research, conducted in the third quarter of 2025, was based on a 20-minute online survey comprising 83 detailed questions. It intentionally balanced responses between current drone users and non-users to ensure a well-rounded perspective. The study explored a wide range of topics, including farmer perceptions of drone technology, barriers to adoption, brand preferences, future purchasing plans, and specific technical concerns shaping decision-making at the field level.
