Agribusiness and Trade: Drones transform NZ farms from above

NZ Herald

5 days ago

'Ag drones have been in the background for a couple of years,' he says. 'But we have recently hit a sweet spot where they are able to carry enough liquid and fly long enough to make them genuinely effective. That's when the market really took off.'
Drones fill a practical niche between ground-based equipment and helicopters, and their rise is changing how agricultural contractors operate. They can open up access to land that might previously have been too steep or too wet for traditional agricultural machinery, or that require immediate attention and more precision.
Fieldays 2025 Drone Zone. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
'If you've got 100 hectares to do, a helicopter is always going to be the best choice,' he says. 'And if you've got lots of ground, it is dry, not steep, and you have got plenty of room to move vehicles, then a tractor or a truck is going to be better.
New Zealand's geography makes drones particularly well-suited.
'We farm intensively and make the most out of small holdings,' says Simpson. 'We've got a lot of arable land but not a huge amount of it is flat. Even with beef and sheep, we run stock on quite steep country. A drone is a real nice fit.'
This is opening up new possibilities. 'Some farmers never dealt with gorse on steep blocks because the only option was spraying with a backpack. A helicopter wasn't economical. Now a drone contractor can do the job at a reasonable rate.'
Urgency has also become a significant factor in the technology's uptake. Simpson points to Wairarapa, which has had to deal with heavy rain this year.
'There is a point at which you can't use a vehicle. In the past you might ring a helicopter provider and be told there is a four-week wait. Meanwhile, the fungus gets a foothold.
'A drone provider might be the same price, but they can be there the next day. You can deal with the problem faster and ultimately use less chemicals.'
Safety is another driver of demand.
'Why drive a quad bike or a vehicle across a steep hillside when you can instead fly over it with a drone and keep everyone safe?' says Simpson.
Given the compliance requirements, most agricultural drone users aren't farmers themselves, but agricultural contractors.
'Since an ag drone is over 25 kilos, you need a certificate with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA),' says Simpson. 'You're also required to deal with the Environmental Protection Authority for chemicals, WorkSafe for health and safety, as well as local councils for regulations – that's a lot for one person in a ute with a drone.'
The Agricultural Drone Association has grown to around 60 members – even more since Fieldays – and will play a crucial role in advocating for New Zealand's agricultural drone operators and enhancing skills and knowledge within the industry.
'The association is aimed at drone users,' says Simpson. 'They needed a community, and it means that we can speak to regulators with a collective voice.'
Fieldays 2025: Craig Simpson, president of the Agricultural Drone Association and founder of Aerolab. Photo / Danielle Zollickhofer
He says the CAA has been a constructive partner. Certification wait times have fallen from 18 months to about eight.
'That is a real improvement – but it is still a barrier. If the industry keeps growing, that bottleneck could get worse.
'We'd like to see the regulator continue working closely with industry so we can maintain momentum. This is a great farming technology, and it's important we don't let red tape slow down its potential.'
Simpson says that with their speed, precision, and ability to tackle challenging terrain, agricultural drones are on their way to becoming a familiar sight on New Zealand farms – not just a novelty attraction at Fieldays.