Russian Student Builds AI-Powered Agri-Drone to Boost Precision Farming
The homegrown innovation cuts chemical use by nearly a third and uses neural networks to detect plant diseases in real time.
Maxim Labeev, a recent graduate from Ufa, has developed a high-tech agricultural drone designed to optimize field treatment and reduce environmental impact. What started as a thesis project has evolved into a promising startup with backing from Ufa’s Center for Technological Entrepreneurship, according to the Bashkortostan regional government.
The drone performs pinpoint spraying of fertilizers, pesticides, and biopreparations, saving farmers up to 30% in chemical use. Its onboard neural network scans crop conditions and automatically detects infected areas, enabling growers to act quickly and precisely.
Labeev says his goal was to make high-precision farming tools affordable even for small-scale operations: “Farmers can buy or rent drones via subscription, with maintenance included in the package,” he explained.
Experts believe such solutions could cut agricultural sector costs by 15–20% while reducing ecological harm. The technology is expected to scale to other regions in the near future.
