HTS Ag
Iowa-based ag technology company (est. 1995 as Western Iowa GPS) partnered with Hylio. Top Ag Leader Blue Delta Dealer expanding into spray drone technology.
Based in Harlan, HTS Ag runs pilot training on row crops grown in the region for farms in Iowa. Any operator running commercial pesticide passes over Iowa fields holds FAA Part 137 alongside the IDALS aerial-applicator credential.
Operations are based in the Corn Belt region.
Services offered
Equipment used
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 HTS Ag's service area:
- Iowa — Any commercial drone spray over Iowa fields needs Category 11 (Aerial Application), issued by IDALS.
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 HTS Ag's service area.
Frequently asked questions
Verifying HTS Ag runs through three independent checks: Part 107 via the FAA Airmen Inquiry, Part 137 via the issuing FAA Flight Standards office, and the state aerial-category pesticide applicator license via the receiving state's department of agriculture. In Iowa the state credential is issued by IDALS; you can ask the operator for the applicator license number and verify it with the agency directly. Pair that with a current chemical-drift COI and the Section 44807 exemption number for due diligence.
Typical drone spraying rates of $12 to $22 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.