According to the American Farm Bureau Federation , with the use of drone technology , farmers " ' return - on - investment could be $ 12 per acre for corn and $ 2 to $ 3 per acre for soybeans and wheat . With the UN estimating that food production will need to rise 70 % in the next 35 years , assuming a global population of 9.1 billion people in 2050 , drones will inevitably play a crucial role in increasing food production and quality . In the report , Boston Globe explores advances in drone technologies and their applications within the agricultural sector .
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, with the use of drone technology, farmers" estimated return-on-investment could be $12 per acre for corn and $2 to $3 per acre for soybeans and wheat. With the UN estimating that food production will need to rise 70% in the next 35 years, assuming a global population of 9.1 billion people in 2050, drones will inevitably play a crucial part in increasing food production and quality. In the report, Boston Globe explores advances in drone technologies and their applications within the agriculture sector.