Stone Valley Drones

Ask Stone Valley Drones 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 Pennsylvania the state credential is issued by Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture; 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 $18 per acre in the region 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.