UF/IFAS
FL · primary research & education hub for drone ag in Florida
Stated by the operator, not checked by us
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (Gainesville, FL). Primary educational and research institution in Florida for drone technology in agriculture. Led by Yiannis Ampatzidis and Wenhao Liu. Publishes regulatory guides, conducts spray drone research for citrus and specialty crops and provides Part 107 exam prep and pesticide applicator training statewide.
Operations are based in the Southeast region.
Services offered
Crops serviced
Certifications & compliance
The operator told us each of these. Anything we matched against a public record is shown with the date we checked it, at the top of this page.
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 UF/IFAS's service area:
- Florida — Any commercial drone spray over Florida fields needs Aerial Pest Control (Ch. 487 F.S.), issued by Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).
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 UF/IFAS's service area.
Frequently asked questions
Verifying UF/IFAS 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 Florida the state credential is issued by Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS); 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 is application-only — the chemical itself, surfactants and adjuvants are usually farmer-supplied. The rate covers calibration, RTK GPS flight planning, the labor to fly the field, mixing and loading from the supplied product, and the FIFRA Part 170 application record (date, time, product, EPA reg number, rate, weather, field ID). Watch for travel surcharges past a stated radius, weekend or emergency-turnaround premiums, terrain or obstruction add-ons, and any minimum-acreage floor on small fields. Confirm in writing.