Mexico’s Drone Agriculture Market Set for Rapid Expansion

The use of drones in Mexican agriculture is growing at an annual rate of 35%, driven by the need to increase productivity while reducing labor, water use, and chemical exposure, with the market expected to reach US$650 million within a decade.

For over a decade, drone technology has been transforming the Mexican agricultural sector. “These analyses are done to support producers so they can make decisions. They are used primarily to evaluate crop conditions, detect disease, water stress, or excess,” said Irais Olmos, Geographer, UNAM, and master’s student in Territorial Planning. She began working with drones in 2018 at the National Service of Health, Safety, and Agro-Food Quality (SENASICA). 

Olmos noted that drone operations often involve geomatics engineers, while she focused on analyzing the data collected in the field to propose measures for controlling or preventing pests in strategic crops. The drones used are not standard models; they are equipped with multispectral or hyperspectral cameras to capture data beyond what the human eye can detect. “Depending on your objectives and applications, you can choose different sensors or cameras,” she said.

In 2021, Olmos became certified as a pilot of micro and small aircraft at the Naval University, one of only two civilians to complete the program. She then launched Junius Drone, a consultancy for territorial planning that also uses drones for aerial photography and videography. The company’s name is inspired by dragonflies.

Drone use in Mexican agriculture is expanding rapidly, driven by the need to produce more with less water, labor, and time. The technology is applied from Sinaloa to Yucatan in fields of corn, agave, sugarcane, and even olive and pineapple plantations. “In 10 years, the market will grow from US$39 million to around US$650 million. That implies an annual growth of approximately 35%,” said Gilberto López, Researcher, Universidad Autónoma de Chapingo (UACh)

Recent trials have demonstrated drones’ effectiveness in crop monitoring. They can identify up to 78% of plants in complex plots, allowing estimation of populations, detection of germination failures, and planning of replanting. In forage crops, aerial images help estimate biomass, essential for livestock feeding. Some models combine input application with real-time imaging, allowing drones to treat problems while documenting the effectiveness of interventions.

Industry data supports the expansion. DJI Agriculture, agriculture drone distributor, reports more than 3,000 certified agricultural drone pilots in Mexico, with over 10% of the land treated with agrochemicals in 2024 using drones. “We are seeing growth rates above 30% in almost all countries in the region,” said Jeffrey Dong, Sales Representative, DJI Agriculture Latin America.

Globally, China and Brazil lead in the number of agricultural drones, but Mexico is rapidly increasing its presence due to crop diversity and the pressure to produce more with fewer resources. The sector’s projected growth positions Mexico as an emerging player in the global digital agriculture market.