Spray Drones: A New Technology for Crop Protection Applications in Brazil

Diego Fernando Daniel, Gilberto Santos Andrade, Alcir Jose Modolo, Adao Robson Elias, Jose Ricardo da Rocha Campos, Rivanildo Dallacort, Joao Danilo Barbieri, Andre Sordi, Erine Natalie Bortot and Alessandro Bandeira Dalbianco

Journal of Sustainable Development, 2026, vol. 19, issue 2, 124

Abstract: The advancement of digital and automation technologies has driven the adoption of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in agriculture, particularly in crop protection product spraying. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review of national and international literature on the use of spray UAVs in Brazilian and world crops, identifying their applications, limitations, and future perspectives. To this end, the databases Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, and Google Scholar were searched for the period between 2014 and 2025 using strategic combinations of descriptors related to UAVs, agricultural spraying, regulation, and precision agriculture. The results indicated that UAVs have been employed in different crops, including soybean, maize, coffee, sugarcane, rice, cotton, citrus, wheat, and common bean, showing improvements in droplet deposition, access to difficult-to-manage areas, and reduced human exposure to crop protection products. It is concluded that spray UAVs represent a promising tool for precision agriculture in Brazil, with the potential to transform crop management practices and promote greater sustainability in the sector. This study makes a novel contribution by integrating national and international evidence on spray UAVs, highlighting research gaps and supporting scientific and technological advances in Brazilian agriculture.

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ibn:jsd123:v:19:y:2026:i:2:p:124

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