Leading the UK's Agri-Drone Revolution: Setting the Professional Standard and Powering the Market
At AutoSpray, we don’t just follow industry standards; we define them. The AutoSpray Pilot Network (ASPN) is the UK’s leading body of agricultural drone specialists, bridging the gap between elite autonomous technology and real-world commercial success.
Operating at the critical intersection of aviation law and chemical regulation, the ASPN provides a professional ecosystem where safe, legal, and effective drone application is a reality. Our members use cutting-edge XAG technology and Lantra-accredited standards to deliver precision results that conventional machinery simply cannot match. ASPN membership is the definitive mark of professional standing and commercial readiness for drone spraying and spreading in the UK.
Work with the network
Whether you require a local specialist for precision crop treatment or a strategic partner for a national-scale environmental project, the ASPN provides the UK’s most qualified drone delivery framework. We connect land managers, institutional bodies, and innovators with the elite technology and regulatory authority needed to achieve measurable results in the field.
For Landowners and Growers
Find a local ASPN Pilot to support your farm, forest, or facility. Our directory lists authorised pilots who are ready to deploy precision treatments to improve crop health and yield.
For Institutional Partners and Government Bodies
Large-scale conservation or multi-site infrastructure projects are managed directly by AutoSpray Systems in collaboration with the ASPN. Get in touch to start the conversation.
For Innovation and Industry Trials
If you are looking to trial a new drone application or validate a specific use case, we lead the way in generating the data and permissions required to open new commercial markets for the network. Talk to us about pioneering your project.
Join the network
To join ASPN, you need to complete our CAA-approved, Lantra-accredited Drone Spraying and Spreading Course. Unlike the typical 12-month wait for independent permissions, our training fast-tracks you into commercial operations under our proprietary permissions framework.
Our indefinite support pledge
Joining the AutoSpray Pilot Network is the start of a long-term partnership. Every ASPN pilot benefits from our four pillars of ongoing professional support, indefinitely.
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Operational & Technical:
Access constant, on-the-ground advice for any job, backed by our specialist distribution center, resellers, and spares network to ensure maximum uptime.
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Chemical & Regulatory:
We actively secure commercial approvals for new products and use cases, providing our pilots with a distinct competitive edge in an evolving legislative landscape.
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Pioneering Research and Development:
Collaborate with us to push the boundaries of agri-drone work. We continuously develop new commercial markets across sectors like agriculture, horticulture, conservation and utilities.
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Professional Community:
Stay connected through network meetups, CPD sessions, exclusive webinars, and lead-sharing opportunities with fellow XAG pilots and industry professionals.
Join the Network
The ASPN edge:
elite capabilities for the industry’s hardest tasks
Membership of the AutoSpray Pilot Network is the starting point for a career-long professional progression. We provide a modular framework of Advanced Operator Permissions (AOPs) that allows our pilots to systematically expand their expertise and tackle high-stakes contracts that are simply beyond the reach of standard operators.
For ASPN pilots, this is a structured ladder to the industry’s most complex work. For ASPN clients, it ensures that when a project presents extreme challenges – be it terrain, timing, or regulation – the AutoSpray Pilot Network provides the exclusive technical standing required to accomplish the task safely and legally.
Advanced operator permissions (AOPs)
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All-Weather Operations:
Enables operations in difficult weather conditions to maximise flying time and ensure timely application for weather-dependent products.
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Reduced Distance Operations:
Enables operations closer to infrastructure, allowing for high-value, technical contracts near infrastructure and communities.
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Night Flying Operations:
Allows legal commercial operation in low and no-light conditions to maximise the operational window, which is essential for tasks like pest control.
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BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) Operations:
Enables flight beyond the pilot’s visual line of sight, which is essential for large-scale, automated applications.
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Forestry Works Manager (FWM) Training:
This course trains pilots to safely conduct landscape-level reforestation using drone deployment. It is specifically designed to mitigate the significant Health & Safety risks associated with traditional manual work on remote, steep, and hazardous ground.
Coming Soon to the AuotSpray Pilot Network -
Aerial Logistics:
Enables the drone-based movement of materials, such as fence posts and equipment, across remote landscapes. It replaces expensive helicopter charters and hazardous ground-based lifting.
Coming Soon to the AuotSpray Pilot Network -
Upland Reforestation:
Focuses on establishing woodland on ground previously considered “unplantable”. It utilises RTK-guided precision seeding and terrain-aware mission planning to treat remote areas while protecting fragile soils from machinery damage.
Coming Soon to the AuotSpray Pilot Network -
Peatland Restoration:
Provides a zero-impact route for restoring wet and unstable ground by aerially broadcasting Sphagnum fragments and specialist seeds. This eliminates the risk of carbon release from crushed peat and protects sensitive mosses.
Coming Soon to the AuotSpray Pilot Network
ASPN Industry & Strategic Partners
Aviation integrity
our shared ‘just culture’
The ASPN is built on transparency and shared professional standards. Safety isn’t a regulatory hurdle; it is the foundation of our collective reputation. We operate under a ‘Just Culture’ framework, where safety is a collective responsibility and the goal is to learn and improve, not to apportion blame. This open approach ensures that the ASPN remains the most credible and safest drone operator group in the UK.
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Verify a Pilot:
All network pilots carry an official ASPN ID card. You can use our digital portal to verify a pilot’s live credentials and their specific Advanced Operator Permissions (AOPs) in the field.
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Approved Applications:
Stay updated on exactly what can be compliantly applied by drone. View the specific commercial operations and products currently authorised for drone deployment within our regulatory framework.
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How is our flying?
To maintain the highest standards of safety and compliance, we provide a secure, confidential channel for pilots, partners, and the public to lodge safety reports or feedback. Submissions help protect the network’s integrity and can be made anonymously or with contact details for a follow-up.
Lodge a Safety Report
