Drone Discordance: Opportunities vs. Hurdles

Thursday, October 23, 2025

‘Drones could be another tool farmers can use to advance their operations.’

By Mary Loggan

As drones become increasingly common tools in global agriculture, their potential for crop spraying is drawing significant attention.

In countries such as China, South Korea, and Japan, farmers have already integrated drones into their regular spraying practices alongside traditional ground and aerial equipment.

These technologies allow for precision application, access to difficult terrain, and reduced risk to fields under certain conditions.

In the Prairies, progress has been slower. Current federal regulations overseen by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) only permit drone application of a handful of biological larvicides and one herbicide on non-crop areas.

This limited approval leaves Prairie producers without access to the same competitive tools already in use internationally and even in nearby U.S. markets. As amendments to regulations continue at both provincial and federal levels, Prairie farmers are watching closely.

Better Farming recently connected with Colin Hornby, general manager at Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP) in Manitoba, and the Government of Saskatchewan, who shared their perspectives on the benefits, the barriers, and how drone spraying may shape the future of agriculture in Western Canada.

Potential benefits

Hornby highlights the unique advantages drones can bring.

“One of the major benefits of drone use is that they can reach areas inaccessible through conventional spraying.

“Although Manitoba does not have steep topography, drones will prove beneficial in wet soils that are inaccessible for ground sprayers.

“Spot spraying will also be helpful in spraying certain areas to control weeds.”

Hornby says that because “drones never touch the crop or ground,” there is no soil compaction or crop damage. Which are key factors.

The Government of Saskatchewan outlines similar benefits, underscoring how drones can assist in specific Prairie conditions.

A spokesperson notes that “drone applications avoid driving on and compacting the soil.

“This is a benefit when the soil may be too wet to access with other pesticide application methods.

“Drone applications are beneficial in areas where access is limited due to standing water and industrial sites. Drone applications also allow for a lower load capacity and flight time, increasing efficiency with small-scale applications.”

These shared perspectives demonstrate the discord between what drones can already deliver and the regulations currently allowing only a narrow range of uses.

Challenges

Despite their promise, Hornby emphasizes that drones are not yet a simple replacement for traditional sprayers.

“No standard testing protocols exist for drone spraying. Without these protocols, establishing policies and guidelines for drone spraying becomes difficult.

“Farmers need to know spray efficacy and spray drift with drones, but the current gap in research makes this challenging.”

He says another challenge will be capacity and efficiency.

“Drones carry around 40 to 50 litres with a 30-minute battery life, whereas conventional sprayers can hold several thousand litres and can run all day.

“This means drones will cover fewer acres in a day compared to airplane or ground sprayers.”

He also points to the policy gap. “Currently, the PMRA has yet to approve pesticide spraying with drones and is lagging behind other jurisdictions.

“Until changes occur, farmers are not permitted to apply pesticides with drones, which puts them at a competitive disadvantage when compared to farmers in other markets like the United States.”

KAP supports regulatory amendments that would allow drone spraying in Canada, to ensure farmers have the tools to be successful, and regulatory guidelines for how to utilize drone technology in a safe and environmentally friendly way, he says.

From a regulatory standpoint, Saskatchewan officials highlight additional risks and limitations that must be carefully managed.

“Drones pose different risks of exposure for the person handling pesticides and to the environment when compared to manned aircraft.

“The way drones move and the air currents they create, known as the downwash effect, can change the pesticide application pattern.”

They point out that this can lead to difficulty in controlling where the spray goes and in covering the crop evenly.

“Additionally, considerations such as drift, bystander exposure, collisions, signal losses and maintenance issues underscore the necessity for safety precautions."

They also stress that only a limited number of products can legally be used with drones.

“Pesticide application by drone, or remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS), is limited to products where application is permitted.

“To ensure compliance and safety, it is important to ensure pesticide labels indicate application by RPAS. Products lacking these mentions are not permitted for drone-based applications under the PMRA administered by Health Canada.”

The current list of approved pesticides for drone applications includes four biological larvicides for mosquito control and one herbicide registered for RPAS application on non-crop areas.

Further regulation is also underway at the provincial level.

In Saskatchewan, producers are exempt from holding a pesticide applicator licence when applying pesticides on land they own or rent.

“Any person applying pesticides for gain or reward, a licence is required. “Amendments to the Pest Control Products Regulations, 2015 (Saskatchewan’s regulations) are underway and will include what is required for proper training and commercial applications of pest-control products using drones for commercial RPAS applicators.”

They stress that any misuse or non-compliance with regulatory standards, both at the provincial and federal levels, constitutes a serious offence.

Looking at the future

Despite current barriers, both KAP and the Government of Saskatchewan see the long-term potential of drones becoming part of a wider toolkit available to Prairie farmers.

Hornby explains: “Drones will complement conventional spraying, not replace it. China, South Korea, and Japan have been using drones for many years, along with conventional spraying equipment.

“Drones will be another tool farmers can use to advance their farming operations and remain on the cutting edge of technology to be competitive on the global market,” he says.

The Saskatchewan Government also notes that progress is being made through upcoming legal changes.

“The changes to regulations will allow for commercial applications of pesticides by drone in Saskatchewan, for those products where drone application is allowed.

“If more products are registered for such use, the use of drones for commercial applications is expected to increase.” BF

Drones: What’s Permitted at the Moment

Currently approved for drone use:

• Four biological larvicides (for mosquito control);
• One herbicide permitted for RPAS application on non-crop areas.

What’s not approved yet:

• Pesticide spraying in fields and crop production remains prohibited under federal regulations, unless labels specifically include drone/RPAS application.

Provincial variances:

• Saskatchewan: Producers can apply on their own land without a licence, but commercial applications (for gain or reward) require licensing.
  Amendments to provincial regulations are underway to clarify training and compliance requirements for drone spraying.
• Manitoba and Alberta: Producers remain bound by federal restrictions until PMRA expands approvals.

International context:

• Drones already widely used in Asia and approved for more commercial pesticide applications in the United States. BF