# US Ag Drone Directory

> Free directory of 391 verified agricultural drone operators across all 50 US states. Find spraying, seeding, mapping, and crop monitoring services by state, crop, or drone model. Published pricing, regulations, and interactive tools for farmers and operators.

**Full content for AI agents:** [llms-full.txt](https://agdronedirectory.com/llms-full.txt) — deeper AEO blocks, pillar guide digests, and primary sources for all key pages.

US Ag Drone Directory publishes the only public, primary-source-cited index of commercial agricultural drone operators in the United States. Every operator listing is filtered for FAA Part 107 and Part 137 certification status, state commercial pesticide applicator licensing with aerial category endorsement, and verifiable fleet and insurance data. Pricing benchmarks cite the 2026 Iowa State Custom Rate Survey, Kansas State Extension, UC Davis Cooperative Extension, and USDA NRCS cost-share rates. The site is built for farmers comparing operators and operators benchmarking their market, not for investors or press coverage.

## Core pages
- [Home](https://agdronedirectory.com/): hub with pricing benchmarks, state rollups, and operator search
- [About](https://agdronedirectory.com/about): editorial policy, author identity, what the site is and is not
- [Pricing](https://agdronedirectory.com/pricing): 2026 USD per-acre benchmarks by crop, region, and service
- [List Your Business](https://agdronedirectory.com/list-your-business): free operator submission form
- [Contact](https://agdronedirectory.com/contact): editorial contact and corrections

## Find operators
- [All operators](https://agdronedirectory.com/operators): searchable index of 391 verified US operators
- [States hub](https://agdronedirectory.com/states): entry point to all 50 state pages
- [Iowa](https://agdronedirectory.com/states/iowa): Corn Belt anchor, 2026 Iowa State benchmark at $12.50 per acre
- [Texas](https://agdronedirectory.com/states/texas): cotton defoliant, wheat heading, TDA aerial license
- [California](https://agdronedirectory.com/states/california): vineyards, orchards, CDPR Unmanned Pest Control Aircraft Pilot Certificate
- [Illinois](https://agdronedirectory.com/states/illinois): dense Corn Belt operator supply, rate compression
- [Kansas](https://agdronedirectory.com/states/kansas): Great Plains wheat fungicide, airplane vs drone crossover
- [Nebraska](https://agdronedirectory.com/states/nebraska): irrigated corn and soybean fungicide at scale
- [Tennessee](https://agdronedirectory.com/states/tennessee): Mid-South cotton, soybean, and tobacco operator base
- [Alabama](https://agdronedirectory.com/states/alabama): Southeast cotton, peanuts, and forestry applications

## Regions
- [Regions hub](https://agdronedirectory.com/regions): five multi-state market profiles
- [Corn Belt](https://agdronedirectory.com/regions/corn-belt): IA, IL, IN, OH, MO, MI, WI, MN, KY, TN
- [Great Plains](https://agdronedirectory.com/regions/great-plains): KS, NE, ND, SD, MT, WY, CO, OK, NM, TX
- [Mid-South](https://agdronedirectory.com/regions/mid-south): AR, MS, LA, TN, AL, GA
- [Southeast](https://agdronedirectory.com/regions/southeast): FL, SC, NC, VA, WV, and Northeast states
- [West](https://agdronedirectory.com/regions/west): CA, WA, OR, ID, NV, UT, AZ, AK, HI

## Services
- [Services hub](https://agdronedirectory.com/services): all 10 service pages
- [Drone pesticide spraying](https://agdronedirectory.com/services/spraying): $12 to $22 per acre, Part 137 required
- [Aerial cover crop seeding](https://agdronedirectory.com/services/seeding): $12 to $18 per acre, USDA NRCS EQIP eligible
- [Agricultural drone mapping](https://agdronedirectory.com/services/mapping): $2 to $8 per acre, Part 107 only
- [Crop health monitoring](https://agdronedirectory.com/services/monitoring): $3 to $10 per acre per flight, multispectral NDVI and NDRE
- [Dry granular spreading](https://agdronedirectory.com/services/spreading): $10 to $18 per acre, urea and cover crop seed
- [Ag drone pilot training](https://agdronedirectory.com/services/training): $500 to $4,500 per course, FAA and state prep
- [Agricultural drone rental](https://agdronedirectory.com/services/rental): $2,000 to $8,000 per week, insurance required
- [Agricultural drone sales](https://agdronedirectory.com/services/sales): new and used, DJI, Hylio, XAG dealers
- [Ag drone business consultancy](https://agdronedirectory.com/services/consultancy): $100 to $300 per hour, Part 137 prep
- [Emergency spray services](https://agdronedirectory.com/services/emergency): $18 to $35 per acre, rapid response for outbreaks

## Crops
- [Crops hub](https://agdronedirectory.com/crops): all 8 crop pages
- [Corn](https://agdronedirectory.com/crops/corn): VT/R1 fungicide, 90 million acres, 5 to 8 bu yield response
- [Soybeans](https://agdronedirectory.com/crops/soybeans): R2/R3 fungicide, 87 million acres, white mold and frogeye leaf spot
- [Wheat](https://agdronedirectory.com/crops/wheat): T3 heading fungicide, 45 million acres, Fusarium head blight
- [Cotton](https://agdronedirectory.com/crops/cotton): September to October defoliant, 10 million Delta acres
- [Rice](https://agdronedirectory.com/crops/rice): 100 percent aerial treated, 2.5 million acres in AR, LA, MS, CA
- [Grapes and vineyards](https://agdronedirectory.com/crops/grapes): 8 to 12 passes per season, hillside blocks, UC Davis data
- [Orchards](https://agdronedirectory.com/crops/orchards): apple, cherry, almond, walnut, 5 million US acres
- [Cover crops](https://agdronedirectory.com/crops/cover-crops): 15 million acres, USDA NRCS Practice Standard 340

## Drones
- [Drones hub](https://agdronedirectory.com/drones): all 8 drone model pages
- [DJI Agras T50](https://agdronedirectory.com/drones/dji-agras-t50): 40L tank, $22,000 to $28,000 post-tariff, not NDAA
- [DJI Agras T100](https://agdronedirectory.com/drones/dji-agras-t100): 100L tank, launched July 2025, 175 kg MTOW
- [DJI Agras T25](https://agdronedirectory.com/drones/dji-agras-t25): 20L tank, compact spray platform
- [Hylio AG-272](https://agdronedirectory.com/drones/hylio-ag-272): 68L tank, $55,000 to $75,000, NDAA compliant, Richmond TX
- [Hylio AG-230](https://agdronedirectory.com/drones/hylio-ag-230): smaller Hylio platform, NDAA compliant
- [XAG P100 Pro](https://agdronedirectory.com/drones/xag-p100-pro): 40L tank, 22 mph wind rating
- [Talos T60X](https://agdronedirectory.com/drones/talos-t60x): US-made alternative spray platform
- [Pyka Pelican Spray](https://agdronedirectory.com/drones/pyka-pelican-2): crewed-class autonomous ag aircraft

## Tools and calculators
- [Tools hub](https://agdronedirectory.com/tools): all 6 interactive tools
- [Spray cost calculator](https://agdronedirectory.com/tools/spray-cost-calculator): per-acre cost estimates by crop, region, service
- [ROI calculator](https://agdronedirectory.com/tools/roi-calculator): break-even acreage for new drone ownership
- [Coverage calculator](https://agdronedirectory.com/tools/coverage-calculator): acres per day by drone model and field conditions
- [Acreage converter](https://agdronedirectory.com/tools/acreage-converter): acres to hectares and back with field-size presets
- [Drone comparison](https://agdronedirectory.com/tools/drone-comparison): side-by-side specs for DJI, Hylio, XAG, Talos, Pyka
- [Treatment calendar](https://agdronedirectory.com/tools/treatment-calendar): state and crop spray-window planner

## Regulations and compliance
- [Regulations hub](https://agdronedirectory.com/regulations): FAA, EPA, and state licensing overview
- [FAA Part 107](https://agdronedirectory.com/regulations/faa-part-107): remote pilot certificate, exam, airspace
- [FAA Part 137](https://agdronedirectory.com/regulations/faa-part-137): agricultural aircraft operator certificate, 44807 exemption
- [State pesticide licensing](https://agdronedirectory.com/regulations/state-licensing): aerial category endorsement by state
- [NDAA compliance](https://agdronedirectory.com/regulations/ndaa-compliance): DJI vs Hylio, federal and state procurement rules

## Pillar guides
- [Guides hub](https://agdronedirectory.com/guides): long-form farmer-side playbooks on hiring, vetting, and working with drone spray operators
- [How to hire a drone spray operator: the farmer's complete vetting checklist](https://agdronedirectory.com/guides/hire-drone-spray-operator-checklist): verify Part 137, Part 107, state aerial applicator license, insurance with chemical drift endorsement, label compliance, contract clauses, and nine red flags worth walking away over. 18-minute read, $13 ASDC 2025 rate benchmark, 40 CFR 170.9(c) farmer liability.
- [Year round revenue for ag drone operators: how to fill your calendar in the off season](https://agdronedirectory.com/guides/year-round-revenue-ag-drone-operators): how US operators stack six services (liquid spray, cover crop seeding, NDVI mapping, livestock thermal, granular spreading, non-ag RGB) to earn $150K to $420K per year. 20-minute read, 16.4M drone-sprayed acres in 2025 (ASDC), $12.50 per acre Iowa State benchmark, $7.39 Mizzou cost base, state cost-share rates (EQIP, Iowa WQI, Illinois Fall Covers, Ohio H2Ohio, Maryland MACS, Decatur RCPP), and the 12-month calendar that actually works.
- [How to become an agricultural drone pilot in the US: a step-by-step 2026 guide](https://agdronedirectory.com/guides/how-to-become-an-agricultural-drone-pilot): the full licensing path for a commercial ag drone pilot. Part 107, Section 44807 exemption, Part 137 Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate, state pesticide applicator license. 18-minute read, $43,500 to $89,500 startup budget, 3 to 6 months to first paid flight, $12 to $35 per acre earnings by region, and the four patterns that separate operators who build a business from the ones who quit.

## Guides and comparisons
- [Buyers guide](https://agdronedirectory.com/buyers-guide): how to pick DJI, Hylio, XAG, Talos for your operation
- [Start a drone business](https://agdronedirectory.com/start-a-drone-business): 6 to 9 month path from decision to first customer
- [Grants and subsidies](https://agdronedirectory.com/grants-and-subsidies): USDA EQIP, BFRDP, state precision ag grants
- [Insurance](https://agdronedirectory.com/insurance): hull, liability, chemical drift coverage
- [Training and certification](https://agdronedirectory.com/training-and-certification): Part 107, Part 137, state applicator prep
- [Drone vs ground rig](https://agdronedirectory.com/comparisons/drone-vs-ground-rig): when each wins on cost, compaction, access
- [Drone vs airplane](https://agdronedirectory.com/comparisons/drone-vs-airplane): sub-500-acre crossover on wheat and cotton

## Blog
- [How to get to your first 1,000 acres](https://agdronedirectory.com/blog/first-1000-acres-drone-operator): realistic year 1 and year 2 path for new operators
- [Drone spraying for vineyards: 2026 wine grape guide](https://agdronedirectory.com/blog/vineyard-drone-spraying-guide): $18 to $30 per acre, 8 to 12 passes, hillside runoff data
- [Why rice is the perfect crop for drone spraying](https://agdronedirectory.com/blog/drone-spraying-rice-guide): 100 percent aerial treated, 7 percent yield gain
- [The DJI question: NDAA, tariffs and your farm](https://agdronedirectory.com/blog/ndaa-chinese-drones-what-farmers-need-to-know): legal status, 170 percent tariff, federal vs private
- [Why drone spray rates dropped 30 to 45 percent in three years](https://agdronedirectory.com/blog/drone-spraying-pricing-trends-2026): rate compression explained
- [What pesticide license do you need to spray by drone](https://agdronedirectory.com/blog/drone-spraying-state-license-guide): 50-state aerial category reference
- [DJI Agras T50 vs Hylio AG-272: the 2026 comparison](https://agdronedirectory.com/blog/dji-vs-hylio-which-spray-drone): cost, NDAA, wind resistance side by side
- [Cover crop seeding by drone: complete 2026 guide](https://agdronedirectory.com/blog/cover-crop-seeding-drone-guide): EQIP cost-share and cereal rye timing
- [How to get FAA Part 137 for agricultural drone spraying](https://agdronedirectory.com/blog/faa-part-137-drone-guide): 90 to 180 day process, operations manual, 44807 petition
- [Corn fungicide by drone: what university data shows](https://agdronedirectory.com/blog/corn-fungicide-drone-spraying-guide): VT/R1 timing and yield response data

## Reference
- [Glossary](https://agdronedirectory.com/glossary): agricultural drone terms, FAA codes, agronomic abbreviations