Terra Drone and Yanmar Diesel Indonesia form sales partnership for agricultural drones

Terra Drone Corporation, a Japan-based drone and urban air mobility technology company, has signed a sales partnership agreement with PT. Yanmar Diesel Indonesia, a subsidiary of Yanmar Holdings, to distribute its agricultural drones in Indonesia.

Under the agreement, Yanmar Diesel Indonesia will act as Terra Drone’s official distributor, supplying the company’s in-house developed drones through Terra Drone Indonesia, its local subsidiary. About 120 units of the G20 and E16 models are scheduled to be delivered in 2025.

The G20 drone, with a 20-kilogram payload, is designed for spraying pesticides, fertilizers, and direct seeding in large paddy fields. The smaller E16 model, aimed at small-scale farms, emphasizes portability while retaining automated flight and terrain-following features. Both are equipped with obstacle avoidance, water- and dust-resistance, and quick battery replacement systems.

The deal marks Terra Drone’s move to expand from palm oil plantations—where it has already provided spraying services using its spot-spraying technology—into rice and field crop cultivation. Indonesia is the world’s third-largest rice producer, but its agriculture sector faces persistent labor shortages and yield losses from pests.

For Yanmar Diesel Indonesia, the agreement adds drones to its product portfolio for the first time, complementing its manufacturing of diesel engines and farm machinery. Executives said the collaboration would allow the company to offer integrated mechanization solutions from soil preparation to harvest.

The Indonesian government is promoting agricultural drone adoption nationwide, and demand is expected to grow. Terra Drone and Yanmar Diesel Indonesia also plan joint R&D with local universities to develop a direct seeding drone tailored to Indonesia’s rice farming practices.

While the financial impact on Terra Drone’s 2025 results is expected to be limited, the company said the partnership strengthens its position in Southeast Asia’s agricultural technology market and supports efforts to improve farm productivity and sustainability.