Agri-Drones to Tackle Challenging Farmland
Thousands of hectares of farmland owned by the DolgovGroup agricultural holding in Russia’s Kaliningrad region will be treated using unmanned aerial systems.
One of the key challenges in crop production is working on fields with complex terrain, steep elevation changes, and irregular boundaries. In such areas, conventional farm machinery can leave large sections untreated or damage crops during operations. Using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) makes it possible to treat virtually every square inch of a field with greater precision.
Drone Technology for Russia's Amber Land
On June 9, testing of new field-treatment technologies began in Russia’s Kaliningrad region. DolgovGroup, the region’s largest agricultural holding, and Aeromax launched a joint pilot project to introduce agricultural drones into farming operations, according to Kaliningrad Region Governor Alexey Besprozvannykh.
Through October 2026, UAVs will treat fields with difficult terrain where conventional agricultural equipment is either inefficient or impractical. Operations will take place across the Gusevsky, Nesterovsky, Chernyakhovsky, Krasnoznamensky, Ozersky, and Gvardeysky municipal districts. In total, thousands of hectares will be covered.
“For us, participating in this project is an opportunity to introduce advanced technologies into our production processes and improve the efficiency of resource use,” DolgovGroup founders Alexander and Dmitry Dolgov said.
The agri-drones will operate at altitudes of up to five meters. That improves the precision of applying crop-protection products against diseases and pests while eliminating the mechanical damage to crops that can occur when wheeled machinery passes through fields.
Food Exports to the EU
A major regional agricultural holding is bringing advanced technology into farming operations. DolgovGroup has been operating for 30 years and cultivates 96,000 hectares of land, representing roughly 40% of all arable land in the Kaliningrad region. The company is the region’s leading grain producer and markets more than 180 product categories.
One of the holding’s strategic priorities is the digitalization of production processes, including the use of unmanned technologies. As UAV-based field treatment becomes more advanced, the region’s largest food producer is expected to reduce losses and increase output, supporting further export growth. DolgovGroup has long supplied products to European markets. About 95% of the rapeseed oil produced by the company is sold to EU countries, while 60% of its rapeseed meal is also exported to the European Union.
The expansion of UAV technologies in agriculture has become part of a new technological specialization for the Kaliningrad region. Through 2030, the region is implementing the Yantarny dron (Amber Drone program) for unmanned aviation development. Kaliningrad is home to a drone manufacturing technopark that includes a 2,500-square-meter research and production center.
A shared-use facility has been established at the Yantarny dron center and equipped with machine tools and production equipment for manufacturing drone components, assemblies, and systems. The center also conducts research and development work and operates a training facility for UAV operators.
UAVs as a Tool for Higher Farm Profitability
Russia’s agricultural sector was included in the list of industries targeted for digital transformation in 2018. Since 2019, the country has operated the Tsifrovoye selskoye khozyaystvo (Digital Agriculture program). Digital technologies have become a core tool for improving farm productivity and efficiency. Key initiatives include Umnoye rasteniyevodstvo (Smart Crop Production), Umnoye pole (Smart Field), Umny sad (Smart Orchard), Umnaya teplitsa (Smart Greenhouse), and Umnaya ferma (Smart Farm).
The development of UAV technologies is now one of the most important priorities in modernizing Russia’s agricultural sector. On April 1, 2026, Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut chaired a meeting focused on the prospects for wider adoption of agricultural drones, self-propelled machinery with autopilot functions, and projects aimed at developing autonomous farm equipment.
The minister emphasized that broader deployment of unmanned aerial systems and machinery equipped with autopilot technologies is one of the most effective ways to improve agricultural productivity. Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture is preparing a roadmap to expand the use of UAVs and autonomous equipment. In the near future, unmanned aerial systems are expected to become a standard tool across the agricultural sector. That aligns with the goals of the national Bespilotnye aviatsionnye sistemy (Unmanned Aerial Systems project), under which Russia plans to produce at least 32,500 civilian UAVs annually by 2030.
These technologies could also find demand in international markets as integrated solutions combining drones, software platforms, and field-treatment methodologies. Friendly countries seeking to increase food production are likely to represent the most promising export markets.
