Funding
Grants that may support work like ours
There are several government schemes that can help fund precision agriculture services on your farm. Here's where each one stands and how we fit in.
There are several government schemes that can help fund precision agriculture services on your farm. Here's where each one stands and how we fit in.
We know that trying a new service is a big decision, especially when margins are tight. The good news is that the UK government is actively investing in precision agriculture, and several schemes reward the outcomes that drone work supports, such as better nutrient use and lower emissions, even though none of them pays a contractor's invoice directly, mapping, and technology adoption.
We've done the research so you don't have to. Below are the most relevant schemes for farmers looking to use drone spraying, seeding, crop mapping, or other precision services. Most of the 2026 rounds filled quickly, so the farms that do best are the ones ready before the next window opens. We're happy to talk you through any of them.
We are not a grant advisor: check every scheme on GOV.UK or with your farming advisor before relying on it, because the agreement, the claim and compliance remain yours.
Closed for 2026 · next chance to apply in 2027
SFI 2026 is the big one. It rewards farmers for delivering measurable environmental outcomes including soil health, nutrient efficiency, and habitat enhancement. The scheme has been simplified for 2026, with the number of actions reduced from 102 to 71 to cut duplication and make it easier to use.
Both 2026 application windows have now closed. The second window opened and closed on 22 September 2026, once its £233 million budget had been allocated. Defra has said there will be another chance to apply in 2027, with details to follow. If you want to be in that round, now is the time to get your mapping, soil data and field records in order.
Our services sit alongside many SFI actions. Drone crop mapping gives you field-level data to plan from, precision fertiliser application supports nutrient management plans, and every job is GPS-logged. Our Hawk Greener Growing programme has no completed season yet; it will build its records over its first season.
Several SFI actions ask you to establish green cover. We can broadcast that seed from the air, so you can sow into a standing crop before harvest, or onto ground that is simply too wet to travel. No drill, no soil disturbance, no compaction, and the living root stays in the ground.
It also buys you time. Getting cover established early, rather than waiting for the ground to dry out, is often the difference between hitting an establishment window and missing it.
Every pass is GPS-logged with the rate applied and lands in your Farmers Portal, so you have a clear record for your agreement. Establishment methods, dates and requirements vary by action, so please check the rules for your specific SFI action and take your own advice.
Closed for 2026 · closed 12 May 2026
The FETF provides capital grants specifically for precision tools, monitoring systems, robotics, and digital technologies. With a total budget of £50 million across three themes, it's designed to help farmers invest in equipment that improves productivity and environmental performance.
The 2026 round closed to new applications at midday on 12 May 2026. Grants covered 40% or 50% of the cost of listed items, depending on the item. The list included a drone for applying authorised products (FETF405), but that item cannot be used for pesticides, and to claim the grant you must hold a GVC and a CAA operational authorisation yourself.
Defra has not yet confirmed a future round. If one opens, it is worth knowing that a contracting service like ours does not need you to own any equipment at all: you get the precision benefits FETF is designed to encourage, on a per-acre price, with no capital outlay and nothing to maintain. If you do go down the ownership route, we can still deliver the work while you get up to speed.
Closed for 2026 · agreements being issued
The 2026 Capital Grants offer opened on 30 July 2026 with £225 million to support farmers, land managers, and rural businesses to deliver environmental improvements across England, including hedgerow restoration and water quality improvements. It closed on 1 September 2026 once the budget had been allocated, and the RPA is issuing agreements through the rest of 2026.
If you have an agreement, or are planning for the next round, our drone mapping can support the work with detailed aerial surveys, boundary mapping and before-and-after imagery. Our crop mapping and NDVI data give you a dated record of the land; whether a map counts as evidence is set by the scheme rules, not by us.
Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier is closed to new applications, and most of its land management options have moved into SFI. If you already hold a Mid Tier agreement, it carries on until it ends.
Higher Tier is where things are changing. In July 2026 Defra announced that, for the first time, farmers and land managers can apply directly for Higher Tier through an expression of interest, rather than waiting to be invited. It covers woodland and agroforestry agreements and new single-focus agreements to restore species-rich grassland, with up to 1,200 single-focus agreements and at least £50 million for new agreements this year.
Drone mapping gives you an accurate picture of the land to plan from and a clear record to evidence the work, and where your agreement allows it we can sow species-rich or wildflower mixes from the air, including on ground that is steep or awkward to reach.
The information on this page is provided as general guidance and was last checked against GOV.UK and Defra on 26 September 2026, and this page was reviewed on 8 October 2026. Grant schemes, eligibility criteria, and application windows can change. We always recommend checking the official GOV.UK pages for the latest details, or speaking to your local farming advisor. We are not a grant advisor, but we're always happy to talk through how our services align with the schemes you're applying for.
Get in touch and we'll help you work out which schemes could apply to your farm. Set pricing per acre, no hidden fees.