Dronedesk
Removing the compliance barrier so agricultural drone operators can focus on what matters: working the land
The Challenge: A Compliance Barrier Standing Between Farmers and Productivity Gains
Heavy-lift agricultural drones represent a transformational opportunity for UK farming. With the ability to carry 50-litre spray tanks or 80-litre granule hoppers, these drones can dramatically reduce the time and cost of sowing seeds, spreading fertilisers, and spraying chemicals across large areas.
But there was a problem. Farmers working 70 to 80-hour weeks simply didn't have the bandwidth to navigate the regulatory requirements:
-
Lengthy Permissions Process: Obtaining CAA authorisation could take months, leaving expensive equipment grounded
-
Complex Flight Planning: Learning to plan compliant flights while running a farm full-time
-
Record-Keeping Burden: Maintaining accurate logs, weather records, and compliance documentation
-
Regulatory Proof: Demonstrating compliance to bodies like the HSE for spray records
AutoSpray Systems needed a way to get their customers operational quickly, manage multiple independent operators under their CAA permissions, and ensure everyone remained compliant without drowning in paperwork.
The Operational Impact: What Dronedesk Delivers for Agricultural Operations
Rapid Onboarding Under Existing Permissions
Rather than each farmer waiting months for individual CAA authorisation, AutoSpray onboards customers as remote pilots under their existing permissions. Dronedesk's compartmentalized structure means each customer operates in their own secure environment, unable to see other operators' data, while AutoSpray maintains oversight across all operations.
Compliance That Pays for Itself
Farmers using Dronedesk don't just stay compliant; they can prove their work was done. Whether demonstrating to the HSE that spray operations met regulatory requirements, or providing evidence to claim government grants for seeding wildflowers, the comprehensive flight records and documentation serve as verifiable proof that unlocks payments.
Real-Time Records, Not Friday Paperwork
The platform captures everything at the point of operation:
- Method statements and risk assessments
- Pre-flight checklists and site surveys
- Weather conditions at time of flight
- Proximity to sensitive areas like watercourses and schools
This eliminates the need to reconstruct flight details days later from memory, resulting in more accurate records that regulatory bodies like the HSE accept as digitised spray records.
Measurable Outcomes
Time to Operational
Farmers flying in weeks instead of waiting months for individual permissions
Advanced Authorisation Secured
Beyond Visual Line of Sight permissions obtained using Dronedesk documentation
Regulatory Acceptance
Digitised spray records accepted by Health & Safety Executive
Audit Time Saved
Monthly compliance checks automated, eliminating days of manual review
Agricultural Use Cases
Crop Management
- Chemical and fertiliser spraying
- Seed sowing and spreading
- Livestock marking paint application
- Targeted crop treatment
Environmental Projects
- Peatland restoration seeding
- Reforestation programmes
- Wildflower meadow establishment
- Remote and inaccessible terrain coverage
Why Agricultural Operators Choose Dronedesk
White-Label Multi-Tenant Architecture
Manage multiple independent operators under your permissions while keeping their data completely compartmentalized. Perfect for equipment suppliers, training providers, and agricultural cooperatives.
Regulatory-Ready Documentation
Generate the thorough risk assessments and compliance documentation needed to secure advanced authorisations like BVLOS, backed by comprehensive operational data.
Rapid Platform Customization
From terminology changes to bespoke features like automated compliance sampling, Dronedesk adapts to your operational needs, often within hours of request.
Built for Time-Poor Operators
Capture flight data in the field without creating paperwork backlogs. No more trying to remember weather conditions from Monday when completing forms on Friday.
The Bottom Line
AutoSpray Systems transformed the agricultural drone adoption journey from a months-long regulatory obstacle course into a streamlined path to productivity. With Dronedesk providing the operational backbone, farmers who once faced an impossible compliance burden now describe the platform as a lifeline, unable to see any other way of managing their operations.
For agricultural businesses looking to deploy drone technology at scale, the question isn't whether compliance management matters. It's whether you want your customers waiting months to fly, or weeks.
