MY THO, Vietnam, May 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Across Vietnam, a generation of digitally fluent farmers is embracing technology to bring fresh life to rural communities. Among the tools reshaping their fields are agricultural drones developed by XAG, which help save labor, boost yields, and create promising careers for young people returning home.
One such returnee is 30-year-old Lưu Văn Đoàn. Slim and tan from years of outdoor work, Đoàn starts his day at 3 a.m., when the village lies silent in darkness. Clad in his company's green shirt, he readies the XAG P150 agricultural drone for a long day ahead. From early morning to late afternoon, Đoàn travels throughout Tiền Giang province, providing crop protection services to local farmers, including his own rice paddies.
"I used to work at a factory far from home, barely earning enough and missing my family," he recalls. When his brother introduced him to agricultural drones, Đoàn immediately saw their potential and began learning. "I found my passion for technology. Soon I was piloting drones every day," he says. After five years in the field, Đoàn now earns a living from work he finds far more rewarding and exciting.
His story reflects Vietnam's broader farming challenges. According to analysis from the Vietnamese Elderly Population, the country's farming communities are rapidly aging, with about 7.96 million elderly people living in rural areas. Meanwhile, millions of young Vietnamese have left for city jobs, creating severe labor shortages in agricultural regions.
Đoàn understands why farming has lost its appeal. Traditional farming can be grueling—manual spraying means trudging through rough, muddy fields up to 12 times each season, often with little protection. "Carrying heavy equipment under the hot sun, chemicals burning your skin—sometimes the fields were almost impossible to cross," Đoàn remembers. Now, with just a smartphone and an autonomous drone, he finishes jobs faster and with far less risk. "It's much easier," he says.
For Đoàn, the XAG P150 agricultural drone has been a game-changer. Equipped with a remarkable 70kg payload and route planning using centimeter-accurate RTK positioning, the P150 achieves consistent and even coverage over fields of various shapes and sizes. Unlike manual spraying, which often misses spots or overlaps, the drone delivers thorough application. "When spraying herbicides by hand, weeds sometimes persist," Đoàn notes. "With drones, fields are often completely weed-free."