Airfield Ag
Drone crop dusting for farmers across N Utah and E Idaho. ~20000 acres as of July 2024.
Operations are based in the Great Plains region.
Services offered
States served (1)
Aerial pesticide licensing in states served
Every state requires a pesticide applicator license with the aerial category endorsement on top of FAA Part 137. The agencies that issue these licenses in Airfield Ag's service area:
- Utah: requires Category 11: Aerial Application. "Special qualifications" for aerial beyond standard exam. for aerial pesticide application; the licensing authority is Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF).
Full agency, exam and renewal-cycle details by state are catalogued on the state pesticide licensing reference.
Verify and resources
Primary-source references for verifying credentials and looking up state-specific rules in Airfield Ag's service area.
Frequently asked questions
Airfield Ag should carry three credentials before any commercial pesticide application by drone in Utah: an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate for the pilot in command, an FAA Part 137 Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate for the business and a state aerial-category pesticide applicator license. In Utah the state credential is issued by Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF); you can ask the operator for the applicator license number and verify it with the agency directly. A current certificate of insurance with chemical drift coverage and the operator's Section 44807 exemption number are reasonable to request alongside the license itself.
Typical drone spraying rates of $12 to $22 per acre in the region covers the application itself. That is drone calibration, GPS-guided mission planning, mixing and loading product into the tank, the labor and machine time to fly the field, plus a written FIFRA Part 170 application record: date, time, product, EPA reg number, rate, weather, field ID. The pesticide, the surfactants and the adjuvants are yours to supply. Four things get billed on top. Travel past the operator's standard radius. After-hours or emergency turnaround. Steep terrain or heavy obstructions. A minimum charge below a stated field size. Get the inclusions and the exclusions in writing before anyone flies.