Illinois ranks second nationally in corn (11M acres) and soybeans (10.5M acres), making it one of the highest-volume drone spray markets in the Corn Belt. Rates run $12 to $17 per acre. The Illinois Department of Agriculture requires an Aerial General Standards exam plus category certification, with mandatory re-testing every 3 years and no CE alternative.
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.
NJ · 50+ drone fleet, 123.5 acres/hr, DJI Agras T20 launch customer
Morristown, NJ operator founded 2020 by commercial airline pilots. DJI Agras T20 launch customer (purchased 49 units). Fleet of 50+ Agras drones capable of flying 5 simultaneously covering 123.5 acres/hour. Services include agricultural spraying, cover crop seeding, greenhouse whitewashing, Part 107 training and drone leasing. Serves NJ, NY, CT, IL and GA.
McFly Aerial Ag is a Chesterfield, Indiana drone application business covering Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Kentucky. The operator holds FAA Part 107 and Part 137 certification along with a Section 44807 exemption. Work includes spraying, dry spreading, cover crop seeding, mapping and crop scouting on corn, soybeans, wheat and pasture, flown with an EAVision J100 and a Talos T60X.
Western Kentucky precision ag drone services
Bestway Ag provides drone spraying and precision agriculture services across western Kentucky and southern Illinois, specializing in corn, soybean and wheat fungicide programs. The operation uses DJI Agras equipment and offers custom application scheduling for large row-crop farms.
Central Illinois drone spraying service with over a decade of experience. Partners with Agri Spray Drones Nutrien Ag Solutions Syngenta and Corteva.
Major IL/IN equipment dealer with 16 Illinois locations and 1 Indiana location (Williamsport). Carries full DJI Agras lineup with free on-field demos.
https://dronedeployaerotech.com/
Agriculture spray drone dealer and DJI trained service center in Effingham IL. Partners with The Equity cooperative for custom aerial application services.
Multi-service drone company in southern Illinois. Authorized dealer for leading drone brands. Also offers solar construction and residential services.
Southern Illinois company providing precise aerial drone applications for agriculture. Active Facebook presence with approximately 1140 followers.
Agriculture drone applicator based in Champaign IL. Holds FAA Part 137 Part 107 and 44807 heavy drone exemption plus IL Commercial Applicator license.
Midwest-based ag spraying drone dealer in Mendon IL. Granted FAA exemption (docket FAA-2023-0304) for agricultural drone operations.
Tell us the field and the job. We text you up to 3 Illinois operators within 24 hours. Operators pay us, not you.
Illinois pesticide licensing is administered by the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA) under the Aerial General Standards credential. Applicators take two exams: the Aerial General Standards exam (100 questions, 70% passing), which replaces the standard Core exam, plus a category exam (50 questions, 70% passing). The commercial license is $300 for a 3-year term.
Illinois is one of the few states with no continuing education option for aerial applicators. Certification must be maintained by passing both exams again every 3 years, there is no CE alternative. DriftWatch sensitive crop registry participation is recommended. Reciprocity exists with IA, IN, MO, WI and KY.
Illinois is part of the Corn Belt agricultural region. See rates, crops and operators across the region.
Rates run $12 to $17 per acre for corn and soybean applications, matching the Corn Belt baseline. Operator density is high, especially in central and western Illinois, keeping pricing competitive.
FAA Part 107, Part 137 and an IDA commercial applicator license with Aerial General Standards exam plus at least one category exam. The Aerial GS exam replaces the standard Core exam and is 100 questions at 70% passing.
No. Illinois is one of the few states with no CE option for aerial applicators. You must pass the Aerial General Standards and category exams again every 3 years to maintain certification.
Illinois has reciprocal agreements with IA, IN, MO, WI and KY. Contact IDA for current reciprocity requirements and any additional exams needed.
Late July through early August for corn VT/R1 fungicide, overlapping with soybean R2/R3. Cover crop seeding creates a second peak from late August through September. Book 4 to 6 weeks ahead.
Get quotes from listed operators. Free, no obligation.
The weekly read for spray drone operators. What changed in the rules, the rates, the weather and the gear. Over 1,200 operators read it.
For drone operators
One email a week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.