Arkansas is the #1 US rice state at 1.2 million acres, effectively 100 percent aerial treated at heading stage. Drone operators must obtain a specific "pilot authorization" on their license; CAT licenses are invalid for drones. No reciprocity with any state. Rates run $14 to $18 per acre.
FAA Part 137 operators in Arkansas
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18 verified operators serve Arkansas. Tell us your ZIP and crop. We will text you up to 3 matches within 24 hours.
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$14 to $18/acre per acre typical.
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Delta Ag Drone Services is the leading drone applicator in the Mississippi Delta, specializing in cotton defoliation, soybean fungicide and rice applications. Operating 6 drones with 12 certified pilots, we service farms from 40 to 10,000 acres across Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee. Same-day response for wet-field emergencies.
Avary Drone operates a national network of vetted agricultural drone operators and a booking marketplace connecting growers with local certified pilots. Coverage spans the Southeast, Midwest and mid-Atlantic, with operators available for corn, soybean, cotton and rice fungicide and herbicide applications, as well as cover crop seeding.
Verified OperatorFAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingFertilizer Application+1 more
American-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.
Verified OperatorFAA Part 107 ✓NDAA Compliant ✓
Drone SprayingFertilizer ApplicationCover Crop Seeding+2 more
High-capacity ag drone application, Southeast & Gulf Coast
Talos Drones operates high-capacity agricultural drone platforms across the Southeast and Gulf Coast, specializing in large-acreage rice, cotton and soybean applications. The company uses heavy-lift spray drones for efficient coverage of Delta and coastal plain farmland, with crews available across Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and the surrounding region.
West Tennessee corn, soybean & cotton drone spraying
Airborne Ag Drones serves cotton, corn and soybean producers across west Tennessee, offering fungicide, herbicide and defoliant applications with DJI Agras equipment. The company focuses on large row-crop operations in the Tennessee River bottom and loess-bluff areas, providing rapid scheduling during critical application windows for cotton defoliation and corn VT fungicide.
Agri Spray Drones Leland is a Mississippi Delta location of the national Agri Spray Drones network, serving rice, soybean and cotton producers across the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta. The operation uses DJI Agras T50 and T100 platforms to deliver fungicide, herbicide and defoliant applications across flooded rice paddies and large row-crop fields.
Delta 19 Land & Drone Services is a full-service agricultural drone company operating in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. The operator handles rice fungicide and blast control, soybean R3 applications, cotton defoliant timing and cover crop seeding, serving large-acreage Delta farms where efficiency and rapid coverage are critical.
Macon Ridge Ag Drones serves rice and soybean producers across northeast Louisiana's Macon Ridge and Mississippi River Delta farmland. The operator focuses on fungicide and herbicide applications for flooded rice, as well as soybean R3 fungicide timing and cover crop seeding in the fall.
Guardian Aerial LLC is a Louisiana-based drone application company serving rice, sugarcane, cotton and soybean producers across the Acadiana and Delta regions. The operator specializes in fungicide and herbicide applications for flooded rice fields where ground equipment is impractical, and handles cotton defoliant timing in the fall.
AR · nationwide DJI dealer + custom aerial applicator since 2021
Nationwide dealer of agricultural spray drones and aerial commercial applicator based in Arkansas, founded 2021. Specializes in personalized customer care offering sales, service, parts, repair and custom spraying. Holds both FAA Part 107 and Part 137 certifications.
AR · third-gen aerial applicators, Part 137 filing service & training
Third-generation aerial applicators based in Arkansas and the Southeast US, founded 2019. Provides advanced aerial analytics, precision ag consulting, training and a done-for-you FAA Part 137 exemption filing service for drone operators. Also offers multispectral mapping, prescription file creation and drone sales.
Verified OperatorFAA Part 137 ✓FAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingEquipment SalesPilot Training+2 more
AR · RPAAS regulatory guidance + spray drone research for rice & row crops
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture provides regulatory guidance on RPAAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Application Systems). Extension Specialist Jason Davis leads work on spray drone regulations, label compliance and pesticide application for Arkansas farmers. Covers rice, soybeans, cotton and corn.
Pilot authorization added to license. CAT license invalid for drone use.
Core + category. $10/yr or $45/5yr individual. $100/location firm.
Renewal & CE
5-year cycle. Recertification training.
Recertification training every 5-year cycle.
Arkansas pesticide licensing is administered by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. Drones are classified as aircraft and must follow the aerial application sections of federal pesticide labels. A standard private applicator license is insufficient, operators must obtain a specific "pilot authorization" added to their license.
Commercial Applicator Technician (CAT) license holders explicitly cannot perform drone applications. Drone-applied pesticides are restricted to agricultural crop settings only, golf courses, home lawns, turf and ornamentals are excluded. Arkansas offers no reciprocity with any state; all operators must test in Arkansas regardless of credentials held elsewhere. Renewal is on a 5-year cycle with recertification training required.
Arkansas-specific rules operators must know
•Drones classified as aircraft; must follow aerial application sections of federal pesticide labels.
•Private applicator license alone is insufficient; must obtain specific "pilot authorization" on license.
Drone spraying in Arkansas, frequently asked questions
Arkansas grows 1.2 million acres of rice, all requiring aerial treatment for heading-stage fungicide because flooded paddies make ground equipment impossible. Drones are taking rapid share from airplanes on drift-sensitive borders and small levee fields.
No. Arkansas explicitly prohibits Commercial Applicator Technician (CAT) license holders from performing drone applications. You must hold a full commercial applicator license with pilot authorization.
No. Arkansas does not offer reciprocity with any state. All operators must test in Arkansas regardless of credentials held elsewhere.
No. Arkansas restricts drone-applied pesticides to agricultural crop settings only. Golf courses, home lawns, turf and ornamentals are excluded.
$14 to $18 per acre for rice and cotton. Large blocks over 500 acres sometimes negotiate $12 to $14. Grand Prairie and Delta regions are the primary markets.
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