Russia Deploys Drones to Combat Invasive Weeds and Wildfires

Russian scientists and agricultural agencies are turning to drones for high-precision herbicide spraying and wildfire detection, saving ecosystems and budgets alike.

Across Russia, drones are being used in full force to eliminate invasive weeds. Thanks to modern imaging and flight control systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can precisely detect and map out weed clusters, then spray herbicides with pinpoint accuracy. This is especially valuable near sensitive zones such as bodies of water and protected nature reserves, according to the Agroanalytics Center of Russia’s Ministry of Agriculture.

A notable example comes from the Novgorod region, where drones are used to tackle Sosnowsky’s hogweed—a toxic plant that poses serious health risks and threatens crops. Using UAVs significantly reduces the ecological footprint of treatment, while also cutting costs and labor requirements.

Drones have also proven indispensable in addressing another growing challenge: wildfires. A drone-based system developed by Russian researchers can detect hotspots from above, instantly alert dispatchers, and even estimate the affected area with surprising accuracy.

This technology is already in use for forest surveillance along the shores of Lake Baikal, with plans to integrate quadcopters for even greater coverage.

Whether spraying fields or scanning forests, drones are fast becoming a key component of Russia’s environmental and emergency response strategies.