What are the best American-made drones for surveying orchards?

Next up in our “Ask Drone Girl” series is about American-made drones for surveying orchards. If you have a question for Drone Girl, contact her here.

My coworker and I are trying to develop a program for surveying acorns in our oak orchards. For now, we fly the Matrice M300 RTK using the DJI Zenmuse P1 Full-frame 45MP Photogrammetry Camera. The Zenmuse H20N just wasn’t sharp enough for us to make the acorns out. We have mapped a couple of large orchards that we have to divide into three or four sections to be able to handle battery swaps. We usually can fly a whole orchard in 20-minute chunks, using 4 sets of batteries.

We are having to replace our DJI drones with drones made in the USA. I wonder if two or three drones and cameras pop into your head if I tell you that we have to see green acorns on green tree crowns in the fall to be able to count them.

Surveying acorns in oak orchards? That’s the kind of niche, high-impact application that just screams “the future of drones is here.”

You’re absolutely right to be thinking carefully about your imaging payload—green-on-green in a forest canopy is no joke, especially when your targets are as tiny (and well-camouflaged) as acorns.

It’s also unfortunate that you may no longer be able to use the Zenmuse P1. It’s a full-frame, 45MP photogrammetry powerhouse that has long set the gold standard for high-resolution aerial mapping—especially in forestry and agriculture. The P1’s crisp detail really seems hard to beat for pinpointing small, camouflaged objects like acorns in dense canopy.

I’m guessing you’re amongst those facing pushback in using either DJI or other Chinese-made drones. Federal agencies and programs tied to U.S. infrastructure or defense have put many operators in the difficult position of having to swap out best-in-class tech for alternatives that don’t always offer an equal performance-to-cost ratio.

In situations where the performance tends to match those of DJI’s products (and my recommendations do), the cost is far higher. Hopefully your work is well-funded.

So what should you do? Though much more expensive, here are my best USA-made alternatives to the Matrice 300 RTK + P1 combo:

• Why it might be a good fit: The Alta X is Blue UAS-approved, ultra-stable, and can carry heavy, high-end imaging payloads like the 61MP Sony Alpha series (budget pick) or Phase One’s 100MP iXM sensor (upgrade pick). You’ll need a gimbal to match (like Freefly’s Movi Pro or Gremsy), but you’re looking at insane resolution—perfect for counting acorns mid-canopy.
• Pros: Customizable, reliable, American-made, payload flexibility, proven in forestry and precision ag
• Cons: Expensive (it’s $19,000 before the Gimbal or camera), requires integration work, larger footprint. If you pair it with a Sony Alpha camera, note that it won’t adhere to your American-made standards (though I wasn’t sure if you were referring to just the drone with that).

• Why it might be a good fit: Inspired Flight is also Blue UAS-listed, and the IF1200A is a direct Matrice-class swap—RTK-compatible, rugged, and capable of carrying full-frame Sony sensors. The RX1R II doesn’t get as much love these days, but it’s lightweight and razor sharp, which might give you the visual edge needed to spot green-on-green objects.
• Pros: Similar flight time and size to your M300 setup, American-made, good payload options
• Cons: Limited payload plug-and-play support compared to DJI, fewer software ecosystem tools. and again, the cost is massive at $34,000 (and that’s just for the drone).

Buy the Inspired Flight IF1200A now from Drone Nerds.

3. Teledyne FLIR SkyRanger R70 with EO/IR Payload

• Why it might be a good fit: The SkyRanger is battle-tested (military and forestry alike), and while its default payloads may not match the P1 in raw resolution, Teledyne’s new optical payloads are catching up. It’s a closed system, but still reliable. If you go with this option, try to work with them directly to see if it can be customized to your specific data resolution needs.
• Pros: Secure, durable, made for complex aerial survey missions
• Cons: Pricey, less flexibility in sensor selection

How to choose the best American-made drones for surveying orchards

It’s tough to beat your current setup, but there are at least some good American drone companies out there that might serve what you’re looking for.

The tl;dr here: if you’re mid-transition away from DJI (ugh, I know many other readers feel your pain as well), and want to keep similar workflows, the Inspired Flight route might be the smoothest. But if you’re open to custom rigs and want absolutely uncompromising image quality, Alta X + Sony/Phase One still delivers what you need — and won’t cost as much as the Inspired Flight.

Happy flying (and acorn counting)!

If you have a question for Drone Girl, contact her here.

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