Farming's Future Takes Flight: Drones and Data Unite in New Deal

KANSAS CITY, MO – January 26, 2026 – In a significant move to advance the integration of technology in American agriculture, Agri Spray Drones (ASD), a prominent provider of spray drone systems, and WinField United, a national leader in agronomic insights and crop inputs, have announced a strategic co-marketing agreement. The collaboration is set to combine cutting-edge aerial application hardware with proven crop science, aiming to accelerate the education, awareness, and adoption of drone technology on farms across the United States.

This partnership arrives as the agricultural drone market is poised for explosive growth. Current market analysis projects the U.S. sector to swell from an estimated $506 million in 2024 to over $1.76 billion by 2030, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of nearly 24%. This surge is driven by the demand for precision agriculture—a farming management concept based on observing, measuring, and responding to inter- and intra-field variability in crops. The agreement between ASD and WinField United, a division of Land O'Lakes, Inc., represents a pivotal effort to standardize and scale these advanced practices.

Under the terms of the deal, the two companies will function as preferred vendors within each other’s extensive networks. This synergy will promote ASD's spray drone systems alongside WinField United’s portfolio of high-performance adjuvants—additives that modify the effect of herbicides, fungicides, and other agents to improve application coverage and efficacy.

A New Frontier in Precision Agriculture

The collaboration is designed to bridge the gap between advanced hardware and the complex chemistry of crop protection. While drones offer unprecedented flexibility and precision, their effectiveness hinges on the performance of the products they dispense. This partnership directly addresses that synergy.

WinField United will gain access to ASD's latest drone technology for rigorous testing at its research facilities, including its 55,000-square-foot Innovation Center. This will allow the company to generate critical data on how its adjuvants perform when applied via drones, optimizing formulations and providing farmers with research-backed recommendations. In turn, Agri Spray Drones will leverage WinField United’s deep well of agronomic expertise and its vast network of product specialists to enhance training and support for its drone operators and distributors.

"This collaboration helps accelerate how drone application integrates with proven crop input technologies," said Agri Spray Drones CEO and founder, Taylor Moreland, in the announcement. "Working with WinField United gives our network access to trusted agronomic resources and research-based product knowledge that elevates drone application as a dependable and scalable solution for growers."

The benefits of this integrated approach are tangible. Drones enable farmers to apply products with pinpoint accuracy, a capability that studies suggest can reduce chemical usage by up to 50% and water consumption by 90% compared to some traditional methods. This precision minimizes waste, reduces environmental impact, and lowers input costs. Furthermore, drones provide a crucial advantage in timeliness, allowing for applications when fields are too wet for heavy ground equipment or when crops like corn are too tall for standard sprayers, ensuring that critical treatments are not missed.

A Strategic Alliance Reshaping Ag-Tech

The business implications of this agreement are poised to ripple across the competitive ag-tech landscape. For WinField United, the partnership reinforces its identity as an insights-driven company, moving beyond simply selling products to providing comprehensive, technology-enabled solutions. By proactively researching and validating its products for drone application, it secures its market leadership position as application methods evolve.

For Agri Spray Drones, the alliance provides a powerful endorsement and an unparalleled channel to market. Tapping into WinField United’s network of nearly 1,300 affiliated agricultural retailers provides direct access to a trusted distribution system that reaches thousands of farmers nationwide. This move elevates ASD from a technology vendor to an integrated partner within a major agricultural ecosystem, a significant competitive advantage in a market crowded with hardware manufacturers like DJI, Trimble, and Parrot.

"WinField United is committed to advancing application technology that helps drive efficiency, consistency, and agronomic performance," stated Joe Vaillancourt, Adjuvants Marketing Manager at WinField United. "Collaborating with Agri Spray Drones allows us to better understand how our adjuvant technologies perform under drone application and share those insights with the industry."

The partnership will manifest through a series of joint initiatives, including a coordinated presence at major industry events, co-developed marketing materials, and extensive field demonstrations at WinField United’s renowned Answer Plot locations. These activities are designed to build confidence among retailers and farmers, providing visible proof of the technology's value.

From Buzz to Field: Overcoming Adoption Hurdles

Despite the clear advantages, the path to widespread drone adoption on American farms is not without obstacles. Farmers face significant barriers, including the initial investment cost of drone systems, a steep learning curve for operation and data analysis, and a complex and evolving regulatory landscape.

Operating a spray drone commercially requires navigating a maze of federal and state rules. Pilots need a Remote Pilot Certification under FAA Part 107, and for applying pesticides, they must also secure a Part 137 certification for agricultural aircraft operations. These regulations, combined with drone weight limitations, visual-line-of-sight rules, and state-specific licensing, can be daunting for producers focused on their core farming operations. Furthermore, standard farm liability policies often exclude aerial application, necessitating specialized and often costly insurance coverage.

This is where the collaboration between ASD and WinField United aims to make a decisive impact. By offering joint training opportunities for drone operators, distributors, and agronomists, the partnership directly addresses the knowledge gap. The co-developed educational materials and shared data insights from performance testing will provide a clear, science-based framework for best practices, helping demystify the technology.

By combining ASD's technical training with WinField United’s trusted agronomic advice, the alliance provides a holistic support system. A farmer can now not only learn how to fly a drone but also understand precisely which adjuvant to use, at what rate, and under what conditions for optimal results. This integrated support system is designed to lower the barriers to entry, reduce the risks for early adopters, and transform drone spraying from a niche practice into a mainstream, reliable, and profitable tool for modern agriculture.