Pratum Co-op (Ag Services drone program)
Co-op drone division. XAG P150 (18.5-gal). Treated ~19000 acres OR 2023-24. Blueberries hazelnuts grass seed.
Based in Salem, Pratum Co-op (Ag Services drone program) runs aerial cover crop seeding on row crops grown in the region for farms in Oregon. Oregon requires both a federal Part 137 ag aircraft operator certificate and an Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA)-issued aerial-category pesticide applicator license for any commercial spray.
Operations are based in the Great Plains region.
Services offered
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 Pratum Co-op (Ag Services drone program)'s service area:
- Oregon: Any commercial drone spray over Oregon fields needs Aerial Pesticide Applicator (APA) license, a separate standalone add-on., issued by Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA).
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 Pratum Co-op (Ag Services drone program)'s service area.
Frequently asked questions
Verifying Pratum Co-op (Ag Services drone program) 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 Oregon the state credential is issued by Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA); 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 breaks into three lines. You pay for the flying. That covers calibration, GPS-guided flight planning, the labor to fly the field and the mixing and loading of your product. It also covers the Part 170 record the law requires. You supply the pesticide and any adjuvants. Then come the extras: long travel, after-hours work, hard terrain and a minimum charge on a small field. Ask which of those land on your invoice before the operator schedules.