LSU AgCenter Precision Agriculture
Verified OperatorLSU Extension drone research & producer education, Baton Rouge
The LSU AgCenter Precision Agriculture program conducts applied drone research and farmer training across Louisiana. Extension agents and researchers evaluate drone-applied fungicides on rice and soybeans, run UAV mapping demonstrations and provide county-level workshops to help producers integrate drone technology into their operations.
Operations are based in the Mississippi Delta region.
Services offered
Crops serviced
Equipment used
Certifications & compliance
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 LSU AgCenter's service area:
- Louisiana — requires Category 11: Aerial Applicator + Aerial Owner Operator License for aerial pesticide application; the licensing authority is Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF).
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 LSU AgCenter's service area.
Frequently asked questions
Verifying LSU AgCenter Precision Agriculture 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 Louisiana the state credential is issued by Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF); 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.
Request a quote from LSU AgCenter
Tell LSU AgCenter 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 Louisiana to compare.
- Goes directly to LSU AgCenter, not a call center.
- 3 quotes max if you broaden, never more. We never sell your info.