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China is rapidly developing smart agriculture, and drones are being used in the process.
At dawn, huge fleets of drones begin their work, and under the control of experienced pilots, they glide over fields, precisely applying pesticides to crops. In just three days, they can treat about 5,300 hectares of wheat fields - a level of efficiency that would be impossible in traditional agriculture.
The annual operation in Zhaoqiao Township, Bozhou City, Anhui Province, demonstrates the modernization of agriculture and highlights the growing role of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Chinese agriculture.
To effectively combat pests, nearly 40 pilots control drones weighing between 50 and 70 kg, maneuvering them over vast fields to ensure precise and uniform application of pesticides.
“Traditional manual spraying could only cover 1 hectare per day. Now, one drone can cover up to 61 hectares per day, ensuring uniform coverage without gaps or overlaps,” said Jiao Rui, head of the drone team.
There are currently nearly 3,000 agricultural drones in operation in Bozhou, and more than 251,000 drones were used nationwide for agricultural purposes in 2024.
These drones have covered more than 173 million hectares of farmland, up 25% year-on-year. In addition to pest control, they are also used for fertilization, seeding, pollination, and monitoring, greatly improving productivity.
The “No. 1 Central Document” for 2025 outlines key priorities for deepening rural reform and promoting rural revitalization. The importance of introducing innovative technologies to agriculture, including drones and artificial intelligence, is emphasized.
Han Wenxiu, deputy director of the Office of the Central Economic and Financial Affairs Commission, noted at a recent press conference that smart technologies such as drones and mechanized farming have great potential for rural development.
China’s lowland economy market is expected to reach 1.5 trillion yuan (about $209 billion) by 2025, and could grow to 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035.
Drones are being integrated into various aspects of agriculture, from crop protection to water monitoring and forest patrols. In Hongqi Village in Anhui Province, for example, a drone patrols 15 square kilometers of forest every day and helps communicate with the elderly, ensuring safety and improving quality of life.
Since the pilot project launched in August 2024, drones in Hongqi have already traveled 1,422.95 km and identified more than 30 threats, which were quickly eliminated.
“Previously, patrolling required two people on a motorcycle for a whole day. Now, with drones, we have greatly improved the efficiency and quality of service,” said Shi Yunshi, the first secretary of the village.
According to plans, by 2027, Zhejiang Province will have more than 10,000 agricultural drones in use, covering more than 4 million hectares of farmland.
In addition to agriculture, the lowland economy is actively developing logistics, transportation of agricultural products, marine products, and medicine, which is contributing to industrial modernization and rural revitalization.
Drones play an important role not only in agriculture, but also in defense, where they can be used to attack the enemy with pesticides and other chemicals.
