New York requires Category 11 (Aerial Application) with the highest exam fees in the Northeast: $100 per exam and $450 for 3-year first category certification. Rates run $16 to $28 per acre across 35K acres of Finger Lakes wine grapes, 40K acres of apples (#2 nationally) and 1 million acres of corn.
World's first drone pollination service · 25 to 50% yield increase
World's first commercial drone pollination service, founded 2017 in Syracuse, NY by Adam Fine and Matt Koball. Custom hexacopter fleet of 6 drones covers 40 acres/hour. Third-party studies show 25 to 50% yield increase. Won $500K Grow-NY prize and $250K GENIUS NY investment. First commercial apple pollination at Beak and Skiff orchard.
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.
FAA Part 107 certified and fully insured drone mapping operator based in Rochester, New York. Operates a DJI Mavic 3M with RGB and multispectral cameras. Specializes in RGB orthomosaic maps, vegetation index mapping, variable rate prescriptions and digital surface modeling.
National · DJI Agras distributor explicitly serving NE states
Division of Rozell Sprayer Manufacturing with 40+ years in the sprayer industry based in Tyler, TX. Distributes the full DJI Agras line explicitly to multiple Northeast states including NJ, NY, DE, RI, ME, VT, MA and MD. Provides sales, technical support and training.
National · farmer-founded ag drone dealer since 2015
One of the earliest US agricultural drone dealers, founded 2015 by a group of farmers. Sells DJI Agras T50, T100 and Talos T60X plus sprayer trailer solutions. Provides training at IN/IL facilities. CropTech Solutions (Waterford, PA) is an authorized FlyingAg dealer. Contact: corey@flyingag.com.
National · DJI Certified Service Center, 50K+ acres sprayed, NE state pages
DJI Certified Service Center and authorized dealer based in Dundee, OH, run by Mike. Has sprayed 50K+ acres. Maintains state-specific pages for most NE states: NY, NJ, PA, MD, DE, CT, WV, NH and MA. Designed the nuWay Ag Drone Trailer. Sells DJI Agras T100, T50, T40, T25, FlyCart 100 and Mavic 3M.
National network · largest spray drone operator network in US, 30+ states
Largest spray drone operator network in the US covering 30+ states, based in Iowa City, IA and led by CEO Mariah Scott. AcreConnect platform (map.acreconnect.io) connects farmers with local operators. Stone Valley Drones (PA) is a network member. Sells DJI Agras T10, T30, T40 and XAG P100 Pro. Holds FAA Exemption 18929B.
National · end-to-end DJI Agras sales, training & compliance in 33+ states
National agricultural drone sales firm providing DJI spray drones with end-to-end support: training, regulatory compliance (Part 107/137), insurance and financing. Explicitly serves 33+ states including NY. Sells full DJI Agras lineup: T70P, T50, T40 and T25.
Northeast · only identified XAG authorized dealer in the region
The only identified XAG authorized dealer serving the Northeast US. Also sells DJI drones and the Ceres Air platform. Offers precision aerial application, multispectral mapping, agricultural education, training, repairs and drone sales. Partners with Virginia Ag Drones. Offers John Deere Financing.
National · largest US ag spray drone distributor, 21K YouTube subscribers
Self-described largest agricultural spray drone distributor in the US, founded 2019 in Boonville, MO by Taylor Moreland and Kit Carlson. Distributes EAVision J70, J150 and RoadRunner 350. Maintains dealer locator and custom applicator maps. Hi-Aloft (PA) is an affiliate dealer. 21K YouTube subscribers.
NW PA operator & FlyingAg dealer · 45 acres/hr fungicide
Waterford, PA drone spraying service and authorized FlyingAg dealer run by Randy Biebel. Operates DJI Agras T40 and T50. Covers crop spraying (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides) at up to 45 acres/hour, seeding, spreading, training, right-of-way management, invasive species treatment and multispectral mapping. Serves PA and surrounding states.
Finger Lakes NY · family-owned, NYS DEC certified pesticide applicator
Family-owned drone services business founded 2024 in Canandaigua, NY (Finger Lakes region) by Christian Smith, Don Burkard and Hana Smith. Jay Franklin serves as NYS DEC certified pesticide applicator (Category 11) with 12+ years experience. Christian Smith is a mechanical engineer. Covers NY statewide.
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New York aerial pesticide licensing is administered by the NY State DEC under Category 11 (Aerial Application). New York has among the highest fees in the Northeast: $100 per exam and $450 for the first 3-year category certification, with $150 for each additional category. A minimum of 3 exams is required: Core, Category 11 and at least one site or pest-use category. Budget $700 to $1,000 for initial licensing.
The 3-year renewal cycle requires 6 CE credits for Category 11. Reciprocity exists with NJ, CT, PA and VT. Finger Lakes wine grapes (35K acres) and Hudson Valley apple orchards provide high-value specialty crop demand alongside 1 million acres of row crops in western NY.
New York is part of the Southeast agricultural region. See rates, crops and operators across the region.
Corn and soybeans $16 to $20 per acre. Apple orchards in the Hudson Valley $22 to $28. Wine grapes in the Finger Lakes $20 to $26. Higher than the Midwest due to smaller fields and fewer operators.
$100 per exam and $450 for the first 3-year category certification are among the highest nationally. Each additional category adds $150. Budget $700 to $1,000 for initial New York licensing.
Yes. Hillside vineyard blocks with steep grades make airblast impractical. Finger Lakes vineyards run 8 to 10 fungicide passes per season for downy and powdery mildew. Growing drone adoption.
Yes, with NJ, CT, PA and VT. Contact DEC for specific procedures.
Long Island (North Fork and Hamptons AVAs) adds about 3K acres of vineyards. Proximity to residential areas makes drones preferred over airblast for drift control. Premium rates reflect the market.
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