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US Ag Drone Directory

Drone Spraying in South Carolina: Licensing, Rates & Operators (2026)

By Eugen Manoli, Founder and Editor · Updated

South Carolina pesticide licensing is administered by Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation, with Category 11 (Aerial Applicator) and $50,000 spray insurance required. Reciprocity available with 13 states at $50. Rates run $16 to $24 per acre on cotton and soybeans.

FAA Part 137 operators in South Carolina

Get 3 free quotes from drone operators in South Carolina

14 verified operators serve South Carolina. Tell us your ZIP and crop. We will text you up to 3 matches within 24 hours.

  • 3 operators max, never more.
  • $16 to $24/acre per acre typical.
  • Operators pay us, not you. We never sell your info.
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Get matched in South Carolina

Tell us your ZIP and crop. We will text you up to 3 verified South Carolina operators within 24 hours.

Typical row-crop application runs $12 to $18 per acre. Specialty and orchard work runs higher.

3 operators max, never more. Operators pay us, not you. We never sell your info.
14
Listed operators
$16 to $24/acre
Rate range / acre
Cotton
Top crop
Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation
Licensing agency

Drone operators serving South Carolina

Valdosta, GA
Featured

Georgia & Southeast cotton defoliation expert

Southern Skies Ag Drone specializes in cotton defoliation, peanut desiccation and corn fungicide across Georgia, Alabama, Florida and South Carolina. Our 5-drone fleet handles soft Delta soils and sensitive neighboring crops where airplane applicators decline to fly. Defoliant season (Sept to Oct) books fast, reserve your window in July.

Verified OperatorFAA Part 137 ✓FAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingEmergency ResponseCrop Scouting
$12 to $18/acre
42K ac 5
Featured

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.

Verified OperatorFAA Part 137 ✓FAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingFertilizer Application+1 more
Price on request
Atlanta, AL
Featured

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.

Verified OperatorFAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingFertilizer Application+1 more
Price on request
Atlanta, GA

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.

Verified OperatorFAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingFertilizer ApplicationEquipment Sales+2 more
Price on request
Birmingham, GA

Drone ag technology & application services, Southeast US

Volitant Technologies provides agricultural drone application services and precision technology solutions to row-crop and specialty crop producers across the Southeast. The company combines drone spraying with data analytics and remote sensing to deliver prescription-based applications for fungicide, herbicide and fertilizer programs.

Verified OperatorFAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingAerial MappingCrop Scouting+2 more
Price on request
Florence, SC

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.

Verified OperatorFAA Part 137 ✓FAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingFertilizer ApplicationCover Crop Seeding
Price on request

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.

Verified OperatorFAA Part 107 ✓
Cover Crop SeedingAerial MappingCrop Scouting+1 more
Price on request
Wilson, NC

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.

Verified OperatorFAA Part 137 ✓FAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingFertilizer Application
Price on request
Charlotte, NC

Multi-state Carolinas ag drone network

Southeast Drone Solutions operates a multi-drone fleet serving row-crop producers across North Carolina and South Carolina. The company offers corn VT fungicide, soybean R3 applications, cotton defoliant timing and cover crop seeding, with crews positioned across the Piedmont and Coastal Plain for rapid response during peak application season.

Verified OperatorFAA Part 137 ✓FAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingFertilizer Application+1 more
Price on request

NC tobacco, corn & soybean drone application

Carolina Agri Drones serves tobacco, corn, soybean and sweet potato producers across the North Carolina Coastal Plain and Piedmont. The operator specializes in fungicide programs for tobacco blue mold and black shank, soybean R3 applications and precision herbicide placement for specialty vegetables, offering scheduling flexible enough to accommodate time-sensitive tobacco windows.

Verified OperatorFAA Part 137 ✓FAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingFertilizer ApplicationCover Crop Seeding
Price on request
Hendersonville, NC

Western NC orchard & specialty crop drone spraying

Drone Sprout provides agricultural drone spraying services to orchard, vineyard and specialty crop producers in western North Carolina. The company focuses on mountain-terrain applications where conventional sprayers cannot operate, including apple, blueberry and Christmas tree fungicide programs across Henderson, Buncombe and Haywood counties.

Verified OperatorFAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingCrop Scouting
Price on request
Georgia, GA

GA · XAG P100 Pro HP fleet, peanuts, cotton, pecans & blueberries

National aerial services company with a dedicated drone ag division actively operating in Georgia. Fully licensed in Georgia. Operates fleet of XAG P100 Pro HP drones for wet spraying, dry spreading (fertilizer/seed), aerial surveys, multispectral crop analysis and prescription mapping. Confirmed operations in Bulloch County peanuts and SW Georgia cotton.

Verified OperatorFAA Part 137 ✓FAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingFertilizer ApplicationAerial Mapping+1 more
Price on request

Browse South Carolina operators by city

Drone spraying licensing in South Carolina

Licensing agency
Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation
Official site →
Aerial category
Category 11: Aerial Applicator
Core ($75) + Category 11 ($50). License $50. $50K spray insurance required.
Renewal & CE
5-year cycle
CCUs vary by category per 5-year cycle.

South Carolina is unique nationally in delegating pesticide applicator regulation to Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation rather than a state agriculture department. Category 11 (Aerial Applicator) requires passing both the Core exam ($75) and the Category 11 exam ($50), plus a $50 license fee. Operators must carry $50,000 spray insurance.

Renewal is on a 5-year cycle with Continuing Certification Units (CCUs) varying by category. Reciprocity is available with 13 states including AL, GA, FL, NC, TN and VA at a $50 reciprocal fee for out-of-state operators.

South Carolina-specific rules operators must know

  • $50,000 spray insurance required.
  • Licensing administered by Clemson University, not a state agency.
  • $50 reciprocal fee for out-of-state operators.
Reciprocity states
AL, GA, FL, NC, TN, VA

Top crops for drone spraying in South Carolina

250K acres

Coastal plain

350K acres

Pee Dee region

Drone spraying guides by crop in South Carolina

Region
Southeast

South Carolina is part of the Southeast agricultural region. See rates, crops and operators across the region.

Explore Southeast

Drone spraying in South Carolina, frequently asked questions

South Carolina delegates pesticide applicator regulation to Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation rather than a state agriculture department. Exams, licensing and enforcement all run through Clemson.

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Neighboring states