The pesticide application plays a leading role in the control of agricultural and forestry pests and diseases, but the improper application of chemical pesticides causes a series of problems. Therefore, the research progress of the key technologies for the pesticide atomizing and nozzles, the inline pesticide mixing, the variable-rate control, the profiling spray, the droplet drift control, the electrostatic spraying, and the intelligent targeting spraying were analyzed. The development of six kinds of typical plant protection machinery was reviewed, that was, anti-droplet-drift sprayers, profiling sprayers, high clearance self-propelled sprayers, weeds control machines, orchard sprayers, and intelligent targeting sprayers. And the development of the aviation plant protection equipment, including the plant protection UAV and its key components was also reviewed. Then, the research concept and general ideas of environment-friendly pesticide spraying machinery, which were the “green and environment-friendly, precision and high efficiency”, were put forward. It was proposed to develop plant protection robots and special-purpose plant protection machinery, such as plant protection robot and its array design, plant protection machinery for specific applications, aviation pesticide application equipment and plant protection UAV. The intelligent IoT-driven pesticide spraying system was introduced, including the intelligent identification of pests targets and the precautionary prevention system, the intelligent plant protection information transmission system through wireless Internet of Things, the three-dimensional intelligent collaborative capability for the pesticide spray system. The key technology of plant protection machinery, including new nozzles and inline pesticide mixing, intelligent and flexible transport platform was put forward. It was suggested that more attention should be paid to help researchers better carry out disruptive innovative research on advanced plant protection machinery.