FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP − Scott Ruck shifts his thumbs on the controller looking up over a wheat field southeast of Wooster. In the distance, roughly 50 acres away, a small dot hovers a few feet above the crop.
The 9-foot by 9-foot drone sprays fungicides on the wheat to combat powdery mildew and head scab, both of which could annihilate the crop. Crop Drone Sprayer
It doesn't take long for the drone to run out of fungicide, so Ruck, the owner of Ruck Ag Services, flies it back to his truck where he refills the 8-gallon tank before sending it back off.
"I can do about 20 to 25 acres per hour," he said after spraying the field. "It took me about 2 1/2 hours to set up the drone, spray the field and pack up."
Ruck is part of a growing shift toward drone use in the agriculture sector that is dabbling more in small unmanned aerial vehicles to apply chemicals.
Although he predicts crop dusting planes to remain a key part of farming for years to come, he said the increased focus on drones among farmers, farming-adjacent businesses, government agencies and universities is a sign of its potential.
More universities and government agencies are realizing the potential of unmanned aerial vehicles in agriculture. The Ohio State University, the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture are three such entities that have programs focusing on this technology.
The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at OSU held a series of talks in May about farmers using drones to seed and spray crops.
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Speakers focused on how drones can be used to spray crops and how to fly them in windier settings, which would disrupt flight patterns and cause the spray to drift.
The USDA has partnered with colleges and universities across the country to make drones more accessible since 2016 while educating people on how to use drones.
Coupled with these efforts at the USDA, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture and universities across the country, including OSU, have studied how drones can benefit farmers.
This includes scouting for pests and diseases in fruit, nuts and row crops to apply targeted treatment on specific areas of a field, which reduces chemical input, according to NIFA.
A drone's camera can help measure where irrigation is needed or where a field is experiencing stress that can be reduced. Other applications include water management and measuring the risk of floods as climate change reduced the amount of available water in areas of the nation.
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For Ruck, drones and farming is the perfect pairing. The unmanned aerial vehicles give farmers the ability to study their crops, spray or seed plants, he explained.
Although he started servicing Ohio farmers in 2022, he officially started his business in January. Weather permitting, his drone is in the sky most days as demand has started to rise as word gets out about his business, he said.
That word of mouth often comes from agriculture retailers, who recommend his business to farmers across the state.
"I saw a drone doing this once and thought I could be successful at it," Ruck said, looking back at over one decade in the agriculture industry and his time on the family farm.
From what he can tell, farmers who purchase the services of crop dusters sometimes want a different option, even if it takes longer than a plane.
Drones benefit from not needing a runway, Ruck said. They can be purchased for personal farm use and don't take up a lot of space, depending on the size.
Despite the benefits, he does not believe drones will replace crop dusters. The drone he uses on a daily basis can carry 60-70 pounds. A plane can carry upward of 10,000 pounds or more, depending on the model.
"Planes can carry a lot more than drones, and they operate at a faster pace," Ruck explained.
To legally fly a drone in Ohio, the pilot must register the aircraft with the Federal Aviation Administration and secure the necessary stickers and markings on the device.
There are two sets of rules when flying a drone, according to FAA. First is only flying for hobby or recreation. Second, is flying for recreational or commercial uses under the Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems rule.
Farmers will need to register under the Small UAS Rule due to the commercial nature of agriculture, according to FAA. To obtain this certificate, applicants must pass an exam that reviews the regulations, operating requirements and safety procedures.
To apply pesticides from a drone, the Ohio Department of Agriculture requires farmers get a Commercial Pesticide Applicator License with a category C-1 aerial application on it.
Drone Spraying Business Once completed, there are several tips to keep in mind, according to the Ohio State University: