Smart Drones Could Boost Potato Yields in Russia
Researchers in St. Petersburg have developed an autonomous drone-based crop‑treatment system that helps protect potatoes and stabilizes yields even under severe weather conditions.
Protecting a Strategic Crop
Potatoes have long been known in Russia as the country’s “second bread,” remaining one of its most essential agricultural crops. Rich in nutrients and critical for the food industry, potatoes account for an annual production volume of roughly 20 million tonnes—placing Russia among the world’s top producers. Ensuring that fields stay healthy is therefore a strategic priority for farmers.
Traditionally, ground machinery has been used for crop treatment. However, this approach is often impractical in regions where soil remains waterlogged for much of the year or becomes impassable due to increasingly erratic weather patterns. Heavy machinery also disrupts soil structure under such conditions, reducing long‑term fertility. Drone‑based systems offer a solution that avoids these limitations.
A Drone‑Driven Approach to Plant Protection
Scientists at the St. Petersburg Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SPC RAS) have developed an integrated unmanned aerial system for treating potato fields.
“We created a specialized setup that includes an aerial‑survey UAV, an agricultural drone for pesticide application, and our autonomous‑operation software,” explained Anton Savelyev, head of the Laboratory of Autonomous Robotic Systems at SPC RAS.
The technology was tested at the Novgorod Agricultural Research Institute’s experimental field site, which was divided into two sections: one treated by drones and another serviced using conventional methods. Aerial mapping of the experimental section was performed autonomously, and the resulting data was used to generate precise flight paths for the treatment drone.
According to SPC RAS director Andrey Ronzhin, the key advantage of the system is its independence from weather fluctuations. Even when rainfall reached double the monthly norm, all scheduled treatments were completed on time, keeping plants healthy. By contrast, ground machinery could not reach many areas of the control plot, leading to widespread crop damage.
Yield Gains and Higher Profitability
“We increased potato yields by 9% on the experimental plot compared to the control. This confirms the economic viability of drone‑based crop treatment, along with reduced fuel consumption and preservation of soil structure,” Savelyev noted.
Next steps include multi‑drone coordination, which will further increase treatment efficiency. Over time, such systems could stabilize yields across entire agricultural regions, improving productivity and reducing price volatility.
Export Potential for Drone‑Enabled Precision Agriculture
Drone systems and automated field‑management technologies are becoming central elements of Russia’s move toward precision agriculture. Integration with GIS platforms, IoT sensors, disease‑forecasting systems, and AI‑driven planning tools is transforming the sector—especially in regions with unpredictable weather.
This has made agricultural drones one of the fastest‑growing segments of Russia’s agtech industry. Countries that adopt these tools early stand to gain a competitive edge in the global food market. According to Anton Blik, CEO of Flying Trucks, Russian ag‑drones offer strong price‑performance value and considerable export potential, particularly in CIS states and the Global South.
