Louisiana mandates the LSU AgCenter Drone Safety Program before drone pesticide certification, the only state with a mandatory pre-certification drone course. Non-resident Aerial Owner Operator License is $500. Rates run $14 to $20 per acre across 400K acres of rice and 1.1 million acres of soybeans.
FAA Part 137 operators in Louisiana
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$14 to $20/acre
Rate range / acre
Soybeans
Top crop
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF)
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.
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.
Sola Drones is a south Louisiana ag drone operator specializing in sugarcane and rice applications across the Acadiana and coastal marsh regions. Services include fungicide, herbicide and plant growth regulator applications, with a focus on fields inaccessible to conventional ground equipment due to soft soils and drainage canals.
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.
LSU Extension drone research & producer education, Baton Rouge
The LSU AgCenter Precision Agriculture program conducts applied drone research and farmer training across Louisiana. Extension agents and researchers evaluate drone-applied fungicides on rice and soybeans, run UAV mapping demonstrations and provide county-level workshops to help producers integrate drone technology into their operations.
FAA Part 107 & ag drone pilot training, Alexandria LA
Louisiana State University of Alexandria operates a drone training center offering FAA Part 107 ground school and agricultural drone pilot certification courses. Programs are tailored for producers, agronomists and aspiring commercial operators across central Louisiana, covering sUAS regulations, precision ag applications and hands-on flight training.
Miami FL · DJI Agriculture Master Distributor for the Americas
DJI Agriculture Master Distributor headquartered in Miami, FL with offices in Mexico, Argentina and Panama. Specializes in agricultural drone technology sales serving the Americas. Sells DJI Agras T30, T40, Phantom 4 RTK and P4 Multispectral. Training provided with each industrial drone purchase. Contact: +1 786-229-6330.
General Standards (free) + Category 11 ($50). 70% passing.
Renewal & CE
3-year cycle. Recertification meeting or retest. $20/yr renewal.
Recertification meeting or retest every 3 years.
Louisiana pesticide licensing is administered by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) under Category 11 (Aerial Applicator), which also requires an Aerial Owner Operator License ($200 for residents, $500 for non-residents). Louisiana is the only state that mandates a pre-certification drone safety training course: the LSU AgCenter Drone Safety Program (self-paced online) must be completed before applying.
Additional requirements include $50 per year per piece of spray equipment, minimum $50,000 liability insurance and a $20 per year renewal fee. Louisiana distinguishes between a Drone Operator License (own-farm use) and a full Aerial Applicator License (commercial for-hire). Recertification via meeting or retest is required every 3 years. Reciprocity exists with AL, AR, MS and TX.
Louisiana-specific rules operators must know
•Mandatory LSU AgCenter Drone Safety Program (self-paced online course) required before certification.
•Aerial Owner Operator License: $200 for LA residents, $500 for non-residents.
•$50/yr per piece of mechanically-powered spray equipment.
•Liability insurance of at least $50,000 required.
•Distinguishes between Drone Operator License (own-farm) and full Aerial Applicator License (commercial).
Drone spraying in Louisiana, frequently asked questions
A mandatory self-paced online course through LSU AgCenter Moodle platform. You must complete it and have the certificate sent to LDAF before applying for drone pesticide certification. It covers safe flight procedures, calibration and regulatory compliance.
$500 for the Aerial Owner Operator License (vs $200 for LA residents), plus $50/yr per piece of spray equipment. This is the highest non-resident aerial fee in the Delta region.
$14 to $20 per acre. Rice at $14 to $18, soybeans at $12 to $16, cotton defoliant at $16 to $20. SW Louisiana rice and NE Louisiana cotton are the primary markets.
Yes. LDAF has a Drone Operator License for farmers spraying only their own land and a full Aerial Applicator License for commercial for-hire work. Different requirements and fees apply.
Yes, with AL, AR, MS, TX. Exam waiver may be available for reciprocal applicants. Contact LDAF.
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