AgroVANT drone development aims to automate large-scale agriculture in Brazil

Researchers in Paraná, Brazil, are developing AgroVANT, a large-scale agricultural drone designed to enhance the transport and spraying of pesticides on massive farms. The aircraft is expected to feature a 10-meter wingspan, a 1,000-liter capacity for agricultural supplies, and a maximum operating speed of 150 km/h.

According to the development team, the AgroVANT's capacity is equivalent to the workload of approximately 25 standard agricultural drones. By removing the cockpit and pilot, the design maximizes cargo space and facilitates future automation. The project will transition from remote-controlled operation with ground supervision to fully autonomous flights.

The project is part of the Small Aircraft Research and Innovation Program launched by the Paraná state government. It has received an investment of 2.7 million Brazilian reais from the Araucária Foundation. Following a successful test of a 2-meter prototype in May 2026, researchers are now constructing the full-scale version for performance evaluation and autonomous system testing.