I’ve been hearing a lot about spray drones; can I spray pesticides by drone on my farm now?
By Ashley Ammeter, Whole Farm Specialist, Manitoba Crop Alliance
This topic has definitely been getting a lot of attention lately!
The short answer is yes, in some cases, agricultural pesticides can now be applied by drone in Canada. However, there are important rules and regulations to follow, drone spraying is not without risk and there are some unique considerations that are important to understand.
What changed?
On June 10, 2026, the Pesticides Regulatory Directorate (PRD) of Health Canada (formerly the Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency or PMRA) issued a Letter of No Objection, an interim measure which allowed the application of pesticides by drone in some circumstances, and was intended to apply until a final policy decision could be released.
On June 30, 2026, the PRD of Health Canada finalized their policy, allowing application of pesticides by drone for any product already registered for conventional aerial application. The full details of the new policy are available here.
Licenses and certification
If you’re considering drone spraying, there are several licenses and certifications you need to be aware of.
In Canada, drones weighing more than 250 g (including spray drones) must be registered, and the operator must have a drone pilot certificate from Transport Canada.
In Manitoba, commercial pesticide applicators must have a pesticide applicator license, but farmers applying pesticides on their own farms are exempt from licensing.
Always read and follow the product label
It is important to remember that pesticide labels are legal documents. Regardless of how you’re applying the pesticide, always read the label carefully.
If the product label allows aerial application to the crop you wish to spray, you may be eligible to spray by drone. You must follow all label directions for aerial application, including spray volume, application rate, droplet size, spray buffer zones or any other instructions. The only exception is that statements on nozzle distribution (ex. “Nozzle distribution along the spray boom length MUST NOT exceed 65% of the wing- or rotor-span”) are not applicable to drones.
If the label states “DO NOT apply by air” or “DO NOT apply by Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS)”, you may not use a drone to apply that pesticide. If the label requires a closed cab for ground application, you cannot apply that product by drone unless a similar “closed cab” system is used for the pilot.
In addition, the person who mixes and loads the pesticide must be different from the drone pilot. Mixers and loaders must wear the personal protective equipment (PPE) required for mixer/loaders by the pesticide label, and the drone pilot, visual observers, or anyone handling the drone must wear the PPE required for ground application.
How well does drone spraying work?
This is where things get complicated. Drone spraying can be a useful and effective application method, but achieving consistent efficacy requires an understanding of some of the factors that make drone applications unique.
Sprayers 101, a non-profit website providing information on agricultural spraying, has several excellent articles focused on pesticide application using drones. I highly recommend their resources! Their article Safe and Effective Pesticide Application using Drones provides an excellent overview of factors to consider before jumping into drone spraying.
One of the biggest challenges is determining a drone’s effective swath width. A drone’s swath width can vary significantly depending on the drone design, the height and speed of travel, spray droplet size, and weather conditions. The result is that the swath width that gives you adequate pesticide coverage and efficacy may differ from the values reported by manufacturers or determined by spray droplet deposition testing. Calibrating your equipment and measuring swath width under your conditions and spray settings is critical to preventing uneven pesticide coverage.
Drift is another important consideration. Like with other aerial application methods, drone sprayers can be particularly susceptible to drift if conditions are not suitable. In addition, most spray drones use rotary atomizers, which differ from conventional nozzles. Most conventional nozzles follow an international standard, producing known droplet sizes at given flow rates and pressures. Rotary atomizers, however, are not standardized and may produce larger or smaller droplets than an operator expects. Understanding your equipment and application settings is critical to minimizing the risk of drift.
The bottom line
If you’re thinking of using a spray drone, whether you plan to operate it yourself or hire a custom applicator, make sure you understand the regulatory requirements and application best management practices. Like any spray operation, success with drone spraying depends on taking the time to do it right.
For anyone interested in learning more, Sprayers 101 has many excellent resources. The articles linked below are a great starting point to learn about pesticide application with drones:
