Aerial scouting for pest pressure, disease outbreaks, storm damage, and stand issues.
Drone scouting covers more ground faster than walking fields on foot. Operators fly systematic patterns to identify pest infestations (corn rootworm, soybean aphids, spider mites), disease outbreaks (tar spot, white mold, head scab), weed escapes (waterhemp, Palmer amaranth), hail and wind damage, herbicide injury, and emergence issues. High-resolution photos with GPS coordinates let you pinpoint problem areas and respond with targeted treatment instead of blanket-spraying entire fields.
National ag drone operator network & marketplace
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.
South Louisiana sugarcane, rice & drone services
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.
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.
A drone covers 200 to 400 acres per hour with full visual coverage. On-foot scouting covers 20 to 50 acres per hour with spot checks. Drones identify problems earlier and across the entire field, not just sample points, catching outbreaks before they spread across the whole operation.
Early season stand count flights work best at V2 to V4 stage (2 to 3 weeks after planting). Mid-season health assessments target V8 to VT for corn and R2 to R3 for soybeans. Pre-harvest flights document conditions for insurance and record-keeping.
There are 3 operators offering crop scouting drone services in Louisiana: Avary Drone, Sola Drones, LSU AgCenter Precision Agriculture.