Colombia has officially launched a new drones based coca crop eradication program in a significant tactical shift in its fight against illicit coca production.
The initiative is being carried out in close coordination with the United States’ Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). The move is being hailed by officials as a potential “revolutionary” step in narcotics control.
By utilizing drone technology, the government aims to reduce coca cultivation and enhance national security while simultaneously aiming to decrease the flow of lethal drugs to US streets.
Colombia is going for precision coca eradication with the drones
The deployment of drones follows a December confirmation by then-acting Minister of Justice Andrés Idárraga that spraying would return to conflict zones where armed groups coerce farmers into planting coca.
The methodology was recently approved by the National Narcotics Council. The operational plan involves drones flying at a maximum height of 1.5 meters above the crops to ensure precision and minimize chemical drift.
The target efficiency for the program is to cover one hectare every 30 minutes, consisting of 14 minutes of active spraying and 12 minutes for battery replacement. Initial operations are slated to begin in the department of Cauca.
The shadow of glyphosate
This new program navigates a complex legal and historical landscape regarding the use of herbicides in Colombia.
During the two terms of Alvaro Uribe, aerial glyphosate spraying reached its peak, intervening in up to 300,000 hectares.
In 2013, the Council of State overturned decrees allowing spraying in national parks. By 2015, the administration of Juan Manuel Santos suspended the use of the chemical in aerial flight. Since 2017, the Constitutional Court has suspended aerial glyphosate fumigation due to documented adverse effects on human health and the environment.
By using drones instead of traditional aircraft, the government hopes to bypass the “aerial” classification while maintaining the low-altitude precision required to comply with existing health and environmental safeguards.
Post-Washington pivot
The launch of the drone program comes just one week after President Gustavo Petro’s visit to the White House, where the “war on drugs” was a central pillar of discussions with President Donald Trump.
The renewed cooperation is already yielding results in other sectors of law enforcement. Just four days ago, Colombian authorities and the INL successfully seized 10 tons of cocaine, valued at approximately $441 million, resulting in the capture of four suspected traffickers.
This technological pivot marks a critical attempt by the Petro administration to balance international pressure for eradication with domestic legal constraints and the protection of rural communities.