Broadcast cover crop seed into standing corn and soybeans before harvest.
Drone seeding has become one of the fastest-growing ag drone applications in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Operators broadcast cereal rye, annual ryegrass, crimson clover, oats, radishes, and custom blends into standing corn and soybeans weeks before harvest. This gets seed established earlier, meets NRCS cost-share program deadlines, and avoids soil compaction from driving equipment through mature crops. Fall seeding windows run August through October across the Corn Belt.
California vineyards & orchards specialist
SkyFarm Solutions is California's premier agricultural drone service provider, specializing in vineyard fungicide applications, orchard treatments, and specialty crop mapping. We serve Napa, Sonoma, San Joaquin Valley, and Central Valley growers with precision drone applications where tractors struggle on hillside terrain. 4 drones, year-round operations.
FL · first FAA-certified UAS spray company, 10,000+ flights completed
Daytona Beach, FL manufacturer and operator formerly known as LEAT (Leading Edge Aerial Technologies). First company to receive FAA certification for UAS spray applications of agricultural products. Founded 2012; acquired by Central Garden and Pet in November 2024. Completed over 10,000 UAS flights. Makes PrecisionVision PV35X, PV40X, and PV100 platforms plus MapVision software.
World's first drone pollination service · 25–50% yield increase
World's first commercial drone pollination service, founded 2017 in Syracuse, NY by Adam Fine and Matt Koball. Custom hexacopter fleet of 6 drones covers 40 acres/hour. Third-party studies show 25–50% yield increase. Won $500K Grow-NY prize and $250K GENIUS NY investment. First commercial apple pollination at Beak and Skiff orchard.
Cereal rye, annual ryegrass, crimson clover, red clover, hairy vetch, oats, radishes, and custom blends work well with drone seeding. Seed must be sized and prepared for aerial broadcast. Large-seeded crops like soybeans are not practical for drone seeding.
In the Corn Belt, the optimal window is late July through early October. Iowa operators typically seed August through early September. Ohio operators extend into early October. Timing depends on cash crop maturity, expected rainfall, and NRCS cost-share deadlines.
We don't currently have operators specialized in cover crop seeding listed directly in California. Many national operators cover multiple states — contact them for availability.