Cahoon Aerial Systems
David Cahoon created a weed-spraying drone after hearing from ranchers. Demonstrated near Gates of the Mountains. Uses GPS-controlled altitude and pump rate. 1 acre with 2 gallons vs. 20 gallons by hand.
Operations are based in the Great Plains region.
Services offered
Pricing context for the crops Cahoon Aerial Systems services
Typical 2026 per-acre rates for drone spraying by crop, based on US ag drone industry data. Contact the operator for a quote on your specific fields.
- Drone spraying for pasture and rangeland$14 to $25 per acre
Crops serviced
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 Cahoon Aerial Systems's service area:
- Montana — aerial pesticide work runs through Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) under Category 18: Aerial Applicator.
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 Cahoon Aerial Systems's service area.
Frequently asked questions
Ask Cahoon Aerial Systems for four documents to confirm credentials: the Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate number, the Part 137 Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate, the state aerial-category pesticide applicator license, and a certificate of insurance carrying chemical drift coverage. In Montana the state credential is issued by Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA); you can ask the operator for the applicator license number and verify it with the agency directly. The Section 44807 exemption number is the fourth piece, applicable to any drone over 55 lbs gross weight.
Typical drone spraying rates of $14 to $25 per acre in the region typically covers the application itself: drone calibration, GPS-guided mission planning, mixing and loading product into the tank, the labor and machine time to fly the field, and a written FIFRA Part 170 application record (date, time, product, EPA reg number, rate, weather, field ID). Pesticide product, surfactants and adjuvants are usually supplied by the farmer and excluded from the per-acre rate. Common surcharges include long travel past the operator's standard radius, after-hours or emergency turnaround, fields with steep terrain or significant obstructions, and minimum-acreage charges below a stated field size. Get inclusions and exclusions in writing before any application.