Aerial application of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides by agricultural drone across row crops, vineyards and orchards in all 50 US states.
Drone Pesticide Spraying drone services in Illinois are listed by 27 operators in this directory. Illinois's state-level custom-rate guidance averages $12 to $17/acre, with the broader drone pesticide spraying band running $12 to $22/acre. In Illinois, drone pesticide spraying most commonly serves corn, soybeans and wheat. Illinois sits in the Corn Belt region, which shapes the calendar, weather and competitive pressure local operators plan around. Commercial drone applications in Illinois require Aerial General Standards (replaces Core exam) + site categories from Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA) on top of FAA Part 137 certification.
Drone pesticide spraying in the US costs $12 to $22 per acre depending on crop, region and product. It is legally required to hold FAA Part 137 certification plus a state commercial pesticide applicator license with aerial category endorsement. Most commercial operators run DJI Agras T50 or Hylio AG-272 class drones at 2 to 5 gallons per acre carrier volume, treating 40 to 60 acres per flight hour per drone.
Drone pesticide spraying is the single largest ag drone service in the United States, generating an estimated 60 percent of all commercial drone flight hours in agriculture. Operators run DJI Agras T50 and T40, Hylio AG-272 and AG-230 and XAG P100 Pro class machines to apply EPA-registered crop protection products at 2 to 5 gallons per acre carrier volume. Typical field throughput is 40 to 60 acres per flight hour for a single T50, and large operators run 3 to 8 drone fleets that treat 800 to 1,500 acres per day during peak windows. The three regulatory pillars every commercial drone sprayer must clear are FAA Part 107 (remote pilot certification), FAA Part 137 (agricultural aircraft operator certificate) and a state commercial pesticide applicator license with an aerial endorsement. Labels govern everything: carrier volume minimums, droplet size specs, wind limits, buffer zones, REI (restricted entry interval) and PHI (preharvest interval) all come from the EPA-approved product label, not from operator preference.
In Illinois, drone pesticide spraying is most commonly used on:
Prices reflect 2026 industry-typical drone spraying rates by crop. Pair with the operator-stated rates below for a quote tailored to your fields.
Illinois requires Aerial General Standards (replaces Core exam) + site categories for aerial pesticide application. The licensing authority is Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA).
Full agency, exam and renewal-cycle details: Illinois state page · 50-state licensing reference · state extension service.
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.
https://dronedeployaerotech.com/
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.
Multi-generational farming family operation in central Illinois. Owner Derek Young manages corn soybean and cattle operation. Holds IL Aerial Commercial Applicator License.
Veteran-owned ag drone spraying operation. Fully certified with Part 137 Part 107 44807 heavy drone exemption and Illinois applicator license.
20-year-old entrepreneur operating drone spraying from custom mobile trailer. Can cover 80 acres/hour solo or 160 with two drones. Also a DJI dealer.
Agricultural cooperative partnering with Green Creek Drones to provide custom drone aerial application. Farmers contact nearest Equity location.
Launched March 2023 offering drone spraying and seeding across agriculture aquatics conservation and commercial sectors. Offers OMRI-listed organic-approved applications.
Specializes in custom-built spray drone trailers and precision aerial application. One of the first companies in the region to bring precision drone spraying to agriculture.
Agricultural drone solutions provider serving Iowa Illinois Missouri and beyond. Limited public information available.
Iowa-based agricultural input company providing spray drone application of proprietary products including Landoil Extreme and SOIL BOOST EXTREME surfactants.
Central Missouri drone spraying company providing liquid and dry application across nine states. Fully licensed and insured.
SweetWater Technologies franchise partner operating in Illinois under parent company support.
Established aerial application company, parent of Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems. Bridging traditional ag aviation with drones.
Drone fungicide spraying serving East Central IL & Western IN.
Drone spray applications. ~200000 ac by 2025. 25 drones DJI T-40 + EAVision J100. Franchising.
DJI XAG P150 (18.5-gal liquid/150-lb dry hopper. Up to 55 acres/hr). Herbicide/fungicide/insecticide/fertilizer + cover crop spreading.
VLOS and limited BVLOS ag spray. 14580 IL Rt 38.
Ag UAS spraying modeled on Veteran Drone Services Exemption 20257A. 6500 Albers Rd PO Box 269.
Federal regulators and industry references that govern drone pesticide spraying in Illinois and across the United States.
27 operators in our directory list drone pesticide spraying as a service in Illinois. Use the operator grid below to compare credentials, fleet, response time and pricing before reaching out.
Commercial drone pesticide spraying in Illinois requires three credentials: an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate for the pilot, an FAA Part 137 Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate for the business, and Aerial General Standards (replaces Core exam) + site categories from Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDA). Confirm any operator you hire holds all three before any application.
Most Illinois operators book 4 to 6 weeks ahead of peak windows; rate confirmation is contract-bound and operator-specific. In Illinois, drone pesticide spraying is most often booked for corn, soybeans and wheat, each with its own seasonal window. For one-off jobs during peak demand spikes, supply tightens fast — establishing the operator relationship in the off-season pays off.
Yes. Any commercial aerial application of pesticides, even by drone, requires a Part 137 Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate in addition to Part 107. Farmers spraying only their own crops may qualify for a simplified Part 137 private applicator path, but anyone charging a third party or treating land they do not own must hold the full commercial Part 137.
National averages run $12 to $18 per acre for fungicide and insecticide applications on corn, soybeans and wheat. Orchard, vineyard and specialty crop work runs $18 to $35 per acre because of dense canopy and more passes per season. Minimum field size is typically 40 to 80 acres, with travel surcharges on fields more than 30 miles from the operator base.
Yes, if the product label permits aerial application and the operator holds a state commercial applicator license in the restricted use category. Dicamba has state-specific drone approval rules, paraquat requires an online certification plus state license and 2,4-D drone applications follow the label droplet and wind restrictions. Always check the label and your state department of agriculture before booking.
Most commercial operators cap wind at 10 mph for standard droplet applications and 7 mph for dicamba and 2,4-D. Inversions, rain within 4 to 8 hours and temperatures above 85 F with low humidity also pause spraying. Operators use on-drone weather stations plus local mesonet data to document conditions for every application as required by FIFRA recordkeeping.
For corn fungicide in July, book 4 to 6 weeks out. For wheat heading sprays, book in April for June applications. For orchard and vineyard full-season programs, book an annual contract in January or February. One-off jobs during peak disease or pest spikes are often impossible to source without a pre-existing operator relationship.
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