North Carolina requires Core, Aerial Methods and specialty exams with a $25 per-aircraft inspection fee. Rates run $16 to $25 per acre across 1.6 million acres of soybeans, 900K acres of corn and high-value tobacco in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain.
National ag drone operator network, SE & mid-Atlantic focus
Osprey Agri Drones is a national agricultural drone operator network with strong coverage across the Southeast and mid-Atlantic. The company coordinates multi-state fleet deployment for corn, soybean, cotton, peanut and rice applications, offering operators in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and beyond.
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.
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.
Advanced ag drone technology & application services
Pegasus Robotics develops and deploys advanced agricultural drone systems for large-scale crop protection and precision application. The company offers both equipment solutions and commercial application services across the Southeast, with a focus on high-efficiency coverage for corn, soybeans and cotton using autonomy-enhanced drone platforms.
Osprey network coverage for Virginia & mid-Atlantic producers
The Virginia division of the Osprey Agri Drones network serves grain, cotton and peanut producers across Virginia's Coastal Plain and Piedmont. Osprey's multi-state fleet of DJI Agras T50 and T100 drones provides rapid scheduling for corn VT fungicide, soybean R3 and peanut late-season disease programs.
Statewide Virginia drone spraying & cover crop seeding
Virginia Ag Drones is a statewide operator providing drone fungicide, herbicide and cover crop seeding services to corn, soybean, wheat and peanut producers across Virginia. The company maintains crews in both the Tidewater and Piedmont regions to provide fast response times across the state's diverse agricultural landscape.
Virginia corn, soybean & wheat drone application
Apex Ag LLC is a Virginia-based agricultural drone operator serving corn, soybean, wheat and cover crop producers across the Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont. The company offers fungicide applications, herbicide programs and cover crop seeding, with scheduling designed to accommodate the mixed row-crop and livestock farm landscape of central and western Virginia.
Virginia drone ag application, grain, orchards & vineyards
Elevation Aerial Application provides drone spraying services to grain, orchard and vineyard producers across Virginia. The company is equipped for steep-terrain orchard and vineyard applications in the Blue Ridge foothills and Appalachian highlands, as well as flat-ground corn and soybean fungicide programs in the Piedmont and Tidewater regions.
East Tennessee cooperative drone application program
Knox County Farmers Cooperative offers drone spraying services to cooperative members across east Tennessee, covering corn, soybean and tobacco fungicide and herbicide applications. The coop uses its existing agronomic and input relationships to bundle drone application scheduling, scouting and product supply for member farms.
South Carolina cotton, soybeans & timber drone services
Carter Aerial Land Management is a South Carolina-based drone application company serving cotton, soybean and timber producers across the Pee Dee and Lowcountry regions. Services include fungicide and defoliant applications for cotton, soybean R3 programs and herbicide spraying for pine release and invasive species control in managed timberlands.
SC wetland seeding, wildlife habitat & ag drone services
Conservation Drone Services operates across South Carolina providing drone seeding for wildlife habitat restoration, wetland grass establishment and cover crop broadcasting, alongside crop scouting and mapping services. The company works with USDA NRCS, Ducks Unlimited and private landowners to restore native grasses, waterfowl impoundments and longleaf pine understory.
Eastern NC row-crop & tobacco drone spraying
North Carolina Ag Drones is an eastern NC operator providing drone fungicide, herbicide and cover crop seeding services to tobacco, corn, soybean and peanut producers. The company covers the coastal plain counties from the Virginia line to the South Carolina border, offering rapid deployment during critical spray windows.
Tell us the field and the job. We text you up to 3 North Carolina operators within 24 hours. Operators pay us, not you.
North Carolina pesticide licensing is administered by the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (NCDA&CS). Aerial operators must pass a minimum of 3 exams: Core ($50), Aerial Methods ($50) and at least one specialty use-category exam ($20 each). The annual commercial license fee is $75, and each aircraft in your fleet requires a $25 inspection fee.
Renewal is on a 2-year cycle with 4 CE hours required per cycle for aerial certification. Reciprocity exists with KY, SC, TN and VA. The shorter list compared to Midwest states reflects North Carolina's focus on Southeastern state compacts.
North Carolina is part of the Southeast agricultural region. See rates, crops and operators across the region.
Row crops run $16 to $20 per acre. Tobacco and specialty crops run $22 to $25. Eastern NC coastal plain has the most demand.
NC charges $25 per aircraft for inspection. Each drone in your fleet needs a separate inspection.
Soybeans (1.6M acres), corn (900K acres), cotton (350K acres) and tobacco. Sweet potatoes in the Sandhills are an emerging niche.
Yes, with KY, SC, TN and VA. Limited compared to Midwest states.
Yes. Tobacco plants reach waist height by mid-season, making ground sprayer access damaging. Blue mold and black shank fungicides apply well by drone without crop damage.
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