Precision agriculture consulting, NDVI data analysis, and spray program design.
Agricultural drone consulting helps farmers and agribusinesses develop drone spray programs, interpret aerial data, select equipment, and build the business case for drone integration. Consultants review NDVI and multispectral data, design variable-rate prescription maps, advise on product selection and carrier volumes, and help operators start or grow commercial drone businesses.
Shenandoah Valley grain & poultry litter drone application
Houff Corporation, a major Shenandoah Valley agricultural cooperative, offers drone application services to member grain and livestock producers. The coop uses drones for precision fungicide programs on corn and wheat, and for poultry litter and dry fertilizer spreading on hillside fields inaccessible to conventional ground equipment.
PA/MD seeding specialist · $52K PA Agriculture Innovation Grant recipient
Carlisle, PA drone seeding specialist founded 2020 by Molly Cheatum and Bill Chain. Focuses on cover crops, pasture improvement, meadow and wildlife habitat restoration, tree seeding, and soil regeneration. Recipient of a $52K PA Agriculture Innovation Grant. Partner of Penn State Extension and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
MD · Agronomic Drone School + cover crop seeding research
Hosts the Agronomic Drone School at Wye Research and Education Center with live spray demonstrations. Conducts drone cover crop seeding research with partner operators including Scout Applicators and K Drone Services. Led by Andrew Kness and Erika Crowl. Key resource for MD farmers exploring drone ag adoption.
Consulting sessions typically cover equipment selection, FAA certification requirements, state licensing, insurance, business model development, spray program design, and data interpretation from aerial imaging. Rates range from $200 per hour for specific questions to $2,500 for full program development.
There are 3 operators offering ag consulting drone services in Maryland: Houff Corporation Drone Services, Swift Aeroseed LLC, University of Maryland Extension.