The Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Tech organized the Mid-Atlantic Spray Drone workshop on July 23-24, 2024 in Painter, VA. The workshop highlighted benefits of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), also known as aerial drones, emphasizing their role in crop protection and comparing efficacy and economics with traditional spraying methods. Over the two-day workshop, federal regulators, university researchers, industry personnel, and custom pesticide applicators (Figure 1) examined the current status of the technology, and debated drift issues, and management strategies. The workshop was attended by participants from Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York.

Spray drones also known as Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are receiving increasing interest in agriculture because they may help address several practical challenges, including labor shortages, rising production costs, limited field access, and the need for timely application of crop protection products. Modern spray drones are equipped with GPS-guided navigation, advanced sensors and data-processing capabilities that support site-specific management. Their ability to operate in small, fragmented fields and difficult terrain makes them particularly valuable where conventional ground or aerial equipment is limited. This article provides an accessible overview of spray drone technology, operational components, regulatory frameworks, agricultural applications, environmental implications and future prospects, with the goal of supporting extension audiences, practitioners and decision-makers.

Spray drift is the movement of pesticide droplets or vapors away from the intended target during or after application (Fig. 1). Drift can reduce the effectiveness of pest control while increasing the risk of injury to neighboring crops, sensitive vegetation, water resources, wildlife, and human health. Although spray drift cannot be eliminated completely, it can be minimized by understanding the factors that influence droplet movement and by following proper application practices. Temperature inversions are one of the most overlooked causes of off target pesticide movement. During an inversion, a stable layer of cool air near the ground can keep fine spray droplets suspended for an extended period, allowing them to travel long distances before settling and increasing the risk of injury to neighboring crops, sensitive vegetation, water resources, and other non-target areas. These risks are particularly important for aerial drone (Unmanned Aerial Systems; UAS) applications as they have lower downwash thrust than the manned aircraft and aerial drones are therefore more susceptible to off-target movement under certain conditions. The best way to minimize inversion related spray drift is to recognize the weather conditions that favor inversion.