The buzz created by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at farm shows this winter was unmistakable, according to Brent Johnson, owner of Labre Crop Consulting in Manson.

"People have been reading about them for a couple of years, but having it for people to see and touch has been huge," said Johnson.

This spring, more and more tiny UAVs are buzzing above Midwestern farm fields, capturing images from high in the sky despite some cloudiness about their legality in commercial operations and how exactly farmers can best use them to increase...