Hylio
Verified OperatorFeaturedAmerican-made NDAA-compliant ag drones & operator network
Hylio designs and manufactures the AG-272, the leading NDAA-compliant agricultural spray drone in the United States and supports a national network of certified Hylio operators. The company provides sales, training and operator support for federal programs, defense-adjacent ag operations and buyers requiring US-manufactured drone equipment.
Operations are based in the Great Plains region.
Services offered
Pricing context for the crops Hylio 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 corn$12 to $18 per acre
- Drone spraying for soybeans$12 to $18 per acre
- Drone spraying for cotton$14 to $20 per acre
- Drone spraying for rice$14 to $22 per acre
- Drone spraying for wheat$12 to $16 per acre
- Drone spraying for cover crops$12 to $18 per acre
Crops serviced
Equipment used
Certifications & compliance
States served (17)
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 Hylio's service area:
- Texas — requires Category 9 (Aerial Application) for aerial pesticide application; the licensing authority is TDA.
- Alabama — requires Aerial category with insurance requirement. Custom Business License for aerial for-hire. for aerial pesticide application; the licensing authority is Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries.
- Georgia — aerial pesticide work runs through Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) under Category 34: Aerial Methods. Recognizes both Part 107 and Part 137..
- Florida — requires Aerial Pest Control (Ch. 487 F.S.) for aerial pesticide application; the licensing authority is Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).
- North Carolina — aerial pesticide work runs through NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services under Aerial Methods category + specialty category. Aircraft inspection $25/aircraft..
- Tennessee — aerial pesticide work runs through Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) under AER (Aerial) licensing exam + category certification.
- Kentucky — requires Category 11: Aerial Certification (explicitly includes UAS) for aerial pesticide application; the licensing authority is Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA).
- Virginia — requires Category 11: Aerial Pesticide Application for aerial pesticide application; the licensing authority is Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS).
- Mississippi — Any commercial drone spray over Mississippi fields needs Category 11: Aerial Applicator + Ag Aviation license, issued by Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC).
- Arkansas — aerial pesticide work runs through Arkansas Department of Agriculture under Pilot authorization added to license. CAT license invalid for drone use..
- Louisiana — Any commercial drone spray over Louisiana fields needs Category 11: Aerial Applicator + Aerial Owner Operator License, issued by Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF).
- Kansas — aerial pesticide work runs through Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) under No single aerial category. Use-specific categories (1A/1B/1C/1D, 2, 3A/3B, 5, 6, 7C/7D, 10).
- Nebraska — aerial pesticide work runs through Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) under Category 12: Aerial Pest Control.
- Iowa — Any commercial drone spray over Iowa fields needs Category 11 (Aerial Application), issued by IDALS.
- Illinois — Any commercial drone spray over Illinois fields needs Aerial General Standards (replaces Core exam) + site categories, issued by Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA).
- Indiana — requires Category 11: Aerial Application for aerial pesticide application; the licensing authority is Office of Indiana State Chemist (OISC) at Purdue University.
- Ohio — aerial pesticide work runs through Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) under Category C-1 (commercial license required even for private applicators).
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 Hylio's service area.
Frequently asked questions
Ask Hylio 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 Texas the state credential is issued by TDA; 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 $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.
Request a quote from Hylio
Tell Hylio 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 Texas to compare.
- Goes directly to Hylio, not a call center.
- 3 quotes max if you broaden, never more. We never sell your info.