The 4-acre pond Tom and Pat Simons developed roughly 15 years ago on their Carroll County farm is a gathering point for evening boat rides and family activities. 

“We have kayaks and a sand beach,” Tom said last month. “We had a couple of the grandkids down here last night fishing off the kayaks.”

So it isn’t any wonder that the family wants the farm to be at its best for generations to come. With 160 acres of crop ground, Tom is always searching for better and more sustainable ways to operate.

Drone spray technology piqued his...