Dawn of the drone age: how agri-tech is boosting production and morale

Instagram-inspired gadgets to spread or spray crops are gaining traction on UK farms but require deep pockets

The idea came from an Instagram video," says Tom Amery, looking admiringly at one of three huge drones he has bought to help grow watercress on a Hampshire farm.

The drone boasts four sets of rotary blades and is able to carry up to 50kg of fertiliser, seed or feed for spreading or spraying, and is the product of several years of meticulous research by Amery, often using the unlikely corners of social media dedicated to agricultural technology.