Le 23/07/2025
Field Intelligence: New Holland’s New Crop Spraying Drones and Sense and Act Technology
From above-the-field insights to on-the-ground automation, New Holland’s agricultural drones and automated crop spraying technology help farmers boost productivity while reducing input costs.
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In the first half of 2025, New Holland introduced two new smart spraying technologies to the Americas. In South America: scouting and spraying drones help farmers work more efficiently while reducing costs and environmental impact.
In North America, New Holland recently debuted its fully-automated IntelliSense™ Sprayer Automation system. This cutting-edge technology identifies and treats crops using five live variable rate (VRA) modes and two selective spray modes.
Cutting-Edge Agricultural Drones
FieldXplorer Agricultural Scouting Drone
New Holland’s FieldXplorer is an agricultural scouting drone that collects high-resolution images and identifies weed pressure, disease outbreaks and other areas that need targeted action. Though not designed for crop spraying, FieldXplorer allows farmers to:
- Pinpoint areas that need to be sprayed
- Minimize herbicide usage
- Optimize field operations and resources to increase yield
- Reduce cost
The drone uses Bem Agro AI technology to convert field and satellite images into Agronomic Mapping Reports. The reports include guidance lines so farmers can plan precise spraying and application routes — even in low-visibility conditions such as sugarcane, grain and fiber harvesting.
Bem Agro’s digital tool includes modules for Field Planning, Field Control, Field Processing and Field Monitoring. It also integrates seamlessly with CNH and Raven displays.
Currently, New Holland’s FieldXplorer is available exclusively in Brazil.
XAG Crop Spraying Drone
The XAG spraying drone can both map and spray fields with liquid crop protection products and nutrients. Crop spraying drones are well-suited for rough or uneven terrain where a terrestrial sprayer may struggle. Drone sprayers can also treat crops without compacting the soil or damaging fragile plants, an ideal option for areas with periods of heavy rainfall.
The XAG P150 crop spraying drone has a maximum payload capacity of 70 kgs/154 lbs. and its 70-liter/18-gallon tank is the largest on the market. The extra large tank means the drone can spray for an extended time before needing a refill, allowing your team members to focus on other tasks. The P150’s spray flow rate of up to 30 liters per minute and RTK centimeter-level positioning ensures fast, precise spraying with minimal waste and water consumption.
The smaller, XAG P60 crop spraying drone has a smaller, 30-liter/7.9-gallon tank and a more accessible starting price. It’s designed for small-to-medium-sized farms and operations where a lower upfront cost is a priority.
Both models are a great option for growers new to using agricultural drones. They’re easy to maneuver and have an autonomous flight planning mode. Currently, both XAG drones are only available in Brazil.
Sense and Act Sprayer Technology
In addition to drone-based spraying solutions, New Holland recently debuted its advanced sense and act, smart spraying technology. The IntelliSense™ Sprayer Automation system is built for high-speed, high-precision spraying. Using a cab-mounted sensor package, the system scans up to 15 m/50 ft. ahead and 42 m/140 ft. wide at speeds of up to 40 kph/25 mph.
IntelliSense surveys the field and makes decisions based on biomass health and field conditions. It has seven application modes and can automatically adjust input rates for fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides and more.
“IntelliSense Sprayer Automation is next-level technology designed to help farmers spray more accurately and efficiently,” said Paul Welbig, New Holland Director of Precision Technology. “It leverages sense and act capabilities to increase productivity and provide unparalleled ROI.”
A 2024 study, conducted in partnership with Kansas State University, revealed IntelliSense’s nitrogen live variable rate (VRA) function provides a ~10 percent savings in applied nitrogen compared to a constant broadcast rate. The study, conducted on corn, quantifies the cost savings associated with analyzing and nurturing individual plants versus taking a wide brush to everything in the field.
With targeted spraying, a 1600-gallon tank effectively becomes a 1700+ gallon tank. Operators can spend more time in the field and less time getting fill-ups.
New Holland’s technology can be added to existing, ground-based crop sprayers and includes five live variable rate modes and two selective spray modes.
“Let’s say you’re applying a desiccant for wheat harvest,” Welbig said. The system can sense where there are more dying plants and reduce the rate in those areas, which helps farmer save money on those products.”
“From a selective spray perspective, the traditional spot spray mode will only spray when the sensor detects weed pressure. There’s also a base plus boost mode where you have a uniform base rate, but you can increase it in areas where there’s weed pressure,” Welbig said.
IntelliSense is included on all 2026 model-year Guardian Sprayers sold in North America and select sprayers in South America. A retrofit kit is available for Guardian Sprayers from model-year 2023 or newer. There is also an aftermarket version that can be used on all makes and models of sprayers.
“The Guardian sprayer is a front-mount sprayer, which reduces stress for the operator because they’re not having to look behind and make sure everything’s working okay,” Welbig said. “It’s also a high clearance sprayer so you can do a later season application on taller crops because of the height of the chassis.”
Coming Soon to FIRA USA
See product demos from New Holland and other agricultural innovators October 21st-23rd 2025 in Woodland, CA at FIRA USA. Register now or learn more about FIRA USA.
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