Heartland Drone Co.
Verified OperatorIllinois soybean & corn · 100 acres/day
Heartland Drone Co. is an Illinois-based drone applicator serving corn and soybean producers across the upper Midwest. Single-operator, 2-drone setup capable of 100+ acres per day. We keep our overhead low and pass the savings to you, flat rate $14/acre for any field over 40 acres, no trip fee within 60 miles of Peoria.
Operations are based in the Corn Belt region.
Services offered
Pricing context for the crops Heartland services
Typical 2026 per-acre rates for drone spraying by crop, based on US ag drone industry data. Heartland's stated rate is $13 to $16/acre.
- Drone spraying for corn$12 to $18 per acre
- Drone spraying for soybeans$12 to $18 per acre
- Drone spraying for cover crops$12 to $18 per acre
Crops serviced
Equipment used
Certifications & compliance
States served (5)
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 Heartland's service area:
- Illinois — requires Aerial General Standards (replaces Core exam) + site categories for aerial pesticide application; the licensing authority is Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA).
- Iowa — requires Category 11 (Aerial Application) for aerial pesticide application; the licensing authority is IDALS.
- Wisconsin — Any commercial drone spray over Wisconsin fields needs Category 9.9: Aerial Applicator (supplementary certification under ATCP 29.28), issued by Wisconsin DATCP.
- Minnesota — aerial pesticide work runs through Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) under Category B: General Aerial. Plus MnDOT aircraft registration and commercial operations license..
- Missouri — aerial pesticide work runs through Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) under Category 13: Aerial Pest Control (commercial/noncommercial). Category 23: Aerial Pest Control (private). Both new as of January 2025..
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 Heartland's service area.
Frequently asked questions
Heartland Drone Co. should carry three credentials before any commercial pesticide application by drone in Illinois: 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 Illinois the state credential is issued by Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA); 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.
The operator's stated rate of $13 to $16 per acre usually breaks down into three lines: (1) included — calibration, GPS-guided flight planning, machine and pilot labor to fly the field, mixing and loading farmer-supplied product, and a Part 170-compliant application record; (2) excluded — the pesticide and any adjuvants, which the farmer supplies; (3) surcharges — long travel, after-hours, difficult terrain or obstruction-heavy fields, and minimum-acreage charges below a stated threshold. Spell out which of those land on your invoice before the operator schedules.
Request a quote from Heartland
Tell Heartland about your fields. They reply within 24 hours, often faster during spray season. Free, no obligation, and you can also ask for 2 more quotes from verified operators in Illinois to compare.
- Goes directly to Heartland, not a call center.
- 3 quotes max if you broaden, never more. We never sell your info.
- Heartland's typical rate: $13 to $16/acre per acre.