The stack depends on the job. Field mapping and scouting stay in Part 107. Spraying or seeding is a Part 137 agricultural aircraft operation. On-farm cargo with nothing dispensed is not 137. Almost every working spray, seed, or lift airframe on this site is 55 lb or more when loaded, so Section 44807 sits on top. The use-case matrix is on the regulations report.
What licenses do I need to fly an ag drone?
Part 107 remote pilot certificate — required for small UAS (under 55 lb including payload). Heavier aircraft operate under Parts 91 and 137 or 91 alone for cargo; the 44807 grant usually names the pilot qualification, which is commonly a Part 107 certificate.
Part 137 agricultural aircraft operator certificate — required when the aircraft dispenses. Private 137 is land you own or control, with no charge for the service. Commercial 137 is for hire. More than one pilot can operate under one certificate if each meets the grant and 137 pilot rules. Mapping and on-farm lift with nothing leaving the aircraft do not need 137.
Section 44807 grant plus an N-number if takeoff weight including payload is 55 lb or more. That covers almost every spray, seed, and lift model on the spray table and the heavy-lift table. 44807 is a safety finding for a named model and weight. It is not a spray license and not an FCC grant.
Aircraft registration — FA-number through FAADroneZone under 55 lb; N-number through CARES at or over 55 lb. Weight includes the load.
Remote ID under 14 CFR Part 89.
State pesticide applicator license when the load is a pesticide — usually with an aerial or UAS category in the state where you apply. Restricted-use products still need a certified applicator under 40 CFR Part 171. Plain seed, fertilizer, or cargo does not by itself create that state pesticide layer.
Do I still need Part 137 if I only treat my own fields?
Yes, if anything is dispensed. 14 CFR § 137.3 defines an agricultural aircraft operation as dispensing an economic poison or any other substance intended for plant nourishment, soil treatment, propagation of plant life, or pest control. Private versus commercial is about whether you charge and whose ground it is. It does not skip Part 137. Camera-only scouting and carrying a closed bag or part with nothing dispensed are not 137 operations.
Do I need a third-class FAA medical?
Part 107 itself does not require an airman medical certificate. Many current 44807 grants for agricultural UAS still require a third-class (or higher) medical when the pilot is flying manually or at night. Automated daylight work is often written differently. The conditions and limitations on the grant you fly under are the rule.
Do I need a second person in the field?
A second person is not a standalone FAA certificate. Default Part 107 requires the remote pilot to keep the aircraft in visual line of sight unless a waiver or grant says otherwise. Whether a named visual observer is required is in the exemption. Night, beyond visual line of sight, and multi-aircraft jobs need the extra authorization written into that grant.
How long does the FAA paperwork take?
Part 107 is a knowledge test. 44807 and 137 are the calendar items. 14 CFR § 11.63(d) says to file a petition for exemption at least 120 days before you need it. The FAA’s current agricultural UAS process is: exemption first, then FAA Form 8710-3 to UAS137Certificates@faa.gov for the Part 137 certificate. The living 44807 roster is docket FAA-2023-1271. A new model or a higher weight than the list shows needs a new or amended petition.
Can I fly at night or beyond line of sight?
Night under 55 lb is 14 CFR § 107.29: the remote pilot must have completed the required knowledge test or training after 6 April 2021, and the aircraft must have anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles. At or over 55 lb, night has to be written into the 44807 grant. Beyond visual line of sight is not default Part 107. Part 108 (docket FAA-2025-1908) is a proposal, not in force.
What It Costs to Own One
How much does an ag drone cost?
The spray table lists U.S. dealer asking for airframe plus spray tank only. The heavy-lift table lists airframe plus the published OEM lift kit. Batteries, charger, generator, spreader, trailer, and insurance are extra. “Quote” means the seller will not publish a number. Import duty on a newly imported finished airframe is a separate line under the price.
Should I buy or hire the pass?
That is a farm-economics question, not an FAA or EPA rule. Buy if utilization will keep the aircraft busy. Hire if you only need a few application windows a year. Application rates are set by the market and by university custom-rate surveys, not by a federal schedule.
How long does the aircraft last?
There is no federal service-life number. Published wear items are batteries (cycle-limited), props, and — on spray and seed aircraft — pumps, hoses, and hoppers. Treat replacement batteries as an operating cost.
Acres, Batteries, and the Crew
How many acres can one drone cover in an hour?
Published manufacturer figures for a 10-gallon class sprayer are commonly in the 30–50 acres-per-hour range at a 2 gallon-per-acre carrier rate in a clean rectangular field, and higher on the 20-gallon-plus class. Seed and dry spread use hopper weight and swath, not tank gallons. Heavy-lift work is rated in payload and cable, not acres. Those published maxima drop with field shape, ferry distance, and battery swaps. Model-level numbers are on the spray table and the heavy-lift table.
How long does a battery last, and what generator do I need?
Published loaded flight times are typically shorter than an empty ferry. Charger and generator requirements are model-specific — use the figure on the manufacturer page for that aircraft. Spare packs keep the aircraft off the charger between loads.
Can one pilot fly more than one ag drone?
Default Part 107 is one small unmanned aircraft per remote pilot. Some 44807 grants authorize more than one aircraft, with extra conditions. Brochure multi-aircraft modes are not a substitute for that grant language.
Is a spray or lift drone also a mapping drone?
Most spray and lift models carry an FPV camera, and some add a gimbal camera. That is situational awareness for the job, not a mapping aircraft. Imagery-only scouting stays in Part 107 and does not need Part 137. Dedicated scout and mapping platforms sold in the U.S. are on the field-mapping report.
Spray, Seed, and Lift
What can these aircraft carry or dispense?
Spray tanks: liquids the label allows for aerial application. Spreaders: cover-crop seed, some fertilizers, and granular products when that use is legal. Cargo hooks and slings: closed loads that are not dispensed — parts, seed bags, tools. A tank is not a hook. Spray-only rows stay on the spray table. Published OEM lift kits are on the heavy-lift table.
Does the pesticide label allow drones?
EPA has not published a separate “drone pesticide rule.” Under FIFRA the label is legally enforceable. A UAS pass is treated as aerial application when the label does not ban aerial work, does not limit aerial work to an aircraft type the drone is not, and the rate, volume, droplet, buffer, and timing match the label. A label that bans all aerial application blocks the drone. Restricted-use products still need a certified applicator under 40 CFR Part 171.
Is seeding the same paperwork as spraying a pesticide?
Part 137 still applies. § 137.3 covers plant nourishment and propagation of plant life, not only economic poisons. Plain untreated seed or fertilizer is often outside FIFRA. Treated seed or a registered granule is not. State pesticide categories attach when the load is a registered product.
Hiring an Operator and Insurance
What should I ask a custom operator?
The Part 107 cards for the people who will fly, the 44807 grant for any aircraft at or over 55 lb, and the insurance certificate. If they will spray or seed, also the Part 137 certificate, the state applicator license with the aerial or UAS category when the load is a pesticide, and chemical or drift coverage — not only hull or “drone liability.” Confirm the aircraft on the job is the model named on the grant.
What does custom ag drone work cost?
There is no federal rate. Published university custom-rate surveys put row-crop drone spraying in a wide band around the low-to-mid teens per acre for the pass only; orchard, vineyard, and small or steep fields run higher. Product is extra. Seed and lift jobs are quoted by acre, by hour, or by load. Local quotes vary.
What insurance does an ag drone need?
FAA and EPA do not issue an insurance certificate. Many states require proof of liability as part of a commercial applicator license, and most custom contracts require it. Aviation liability, optional hull, and — when product leaves the aircraft — a chemical or drift endorsement are separate coverages. A policy that excludes spraying does not cover what left the nozzles. Cargo-only work is a different endorsement than a spray policy.
NDAA, FCC, and Tariffs
These are buying and import rules, not operating licenses. The glossary is on the regulations report.
Is “NDAA compliant” the same as Blue UAS or Conditional Approval?
No. “NDAA compliant” on a brochure is usually a vendor claim about critical parts. Blue UAS is a Department of War buy list of named models in named configurations. Green UAS is AUVSI’s civil audit. Conditional Approval is a DoW or DHS determination that the FCC publishes so a named model can stay off the Covered List. You do not need Blue UAS to work private ground. Private-farm legality and federal-procurement eligibility are two stacks.
Can I still fly a DJI, XAG, or EAVision ag drone I already own?
The FCC’s current Covered List FAQs say the list does not restrict continued use of a previously purchased, already-authorized device. The December 22, 2025 update blocks new equipment authorizations for foreign-produced UAS and critical components. PS Docket 26-189 is a separate proposal that would reach continued importation and marketing of some already-authorized foreign UAS; comments closed 2 September 2026 and no final order had issued as of 19 September 2026. Confirm the live FCC text before you buy a replacement airframe.
What is the 100% tariff on the price sheet?
Section 232 duties from Proclamation 11055, in force 3 September 2026. Newly imported finished UAS above about 55 lb, or with a built-in thermal imager, take 100%. Most smaller imported drones take 25%. U.S.-finished airframes take 0% on that finished-goods duty; imported parts inside a U.S.-assembled drone can still be taxed. Inventory that already cleared customs before 3 September 2026 does not automatically pick up the new rate. The tariff does not decide whether you may fly the aircraft.
Is a spray drone the same as a cargo drone?
No. Dispensing is a Part 137 agricultural aircraft operation. Moving seed bags or parts without dispensing is not. Platforms with a published U.S.-sold OEM lift, sling, or winch kit are on the heavy-lift report. Spray-only rows stay on the spray table.
The stack depends on the job. Field mapping and scouting stay in Part 107. Spraying or seeding is a Part 137 agricultural aircraft operation. On-farm cargo with nothing dispensed is not 137. Almost every working spray, seed, or lift airframe on this site is 55 lb or more when loaded, so Section 44807 sits on top. The use-case matrix is on the regulations report.
What licenses do I need to fly an ag drone?
Part 107 remote pilot certificate — required for small UAS (under 55 lb including payload). Heavier aircraft operate under Parts 91 and 137 or 91 alone for cargo; the 44807 grant usually names the pilot qualification, which is commonly a Part 107 certificate.
Part 137 agricultural aircraft operator certificate — required when the aircraft dispenses. Private 137 is land you own or control, with no charge for the service. Commercial 137 is for hire. More than one pilot can operate under one certificate if each meets the grant and 137 pilot rules. Mapping and on-farm lift with nothing leaving the aircraft do not need 137.
Section 44807 grant plus an N-number if takeoff weight including payload is 55 lb or more. That covers almost every spray, seed, and lift model on the spray table and the heavy-lift table. 44807 is a safety finding for a named model and weight. It is not a spray license and not an FCC grant.
Aircraft registration — FA-number through FAADroneZone under 55 lb; N-number through CARES at or over 55 lb. Weight includes the load.
Remote ID under 14 CFR Part 89.
State pesticide applicator license when the load is a pesticide — usually with an aerial or UAS category in the state where you apply. Restricted-use products still need a certified applicator under 40 CFR Part 171. Plain seed, fertilizer, or cargo does not by itself create that state pesticide layer.
Do I still need Part 137 if I only treat my own fields?
Yes, if anything is dispensed. 14 CFR § 137.3 defines an agricultural aircraft operation as dispensing an economic poison or any other substance intended for plant nourishment, soil treatment, propagation of plant life, or pest control. Private versus commercial is about whether you charge and whose ground it is. It does not skip Part 137. Camera-only scouting and carrying a closed bag or part with nothing dispensed are not 137 operations.
Do I need a third-class FAA medical?
Part 107 itself does not require an airman medical certificate. Many current 44807 grants for agricultural UAS still require a third-class (or higher) medical when the pilot is flying manually or at night. Automated daylight work is often written differently. The conditions and limitations on the grant you fly under are the rule.
Do I need a second person in the field?
A second person is not a standalone FAA certificate. Default Part 107 requires the remote pilot to keep the aircraft in visual line of sight unless a waiver or grant says otherwise. Whether a named visual observer is required is in the exemption. Night, beyond visual line of sight, and multi-aircraft jobs need the extra authorization written into that grant.
How long does the FAA paperwork take?
Part 107 is a knowledge test. 44807 and 137 are the calendar items. 14 CFR § 11.63(d) says to file a petition for exemption at least 120 days before you need it. The FAA’s current agricultural UAS process is: exemption first, then FAA Form 8710-3 to UAS137Certificates@faa.gov for the Part 137 certificate. The living 44807 roster is docket FAA-2023-1271. A new model or a higher weight than the list shows needs a new or amended petition.
Can I fly at night or beyond line of sight?
Night under 55 lb is 14 CFR § 107.29: the remote pilot must have completed the required knowledge test or training after 6 April 2021, and the aircraft must have anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles. At or over 55 lb, night has to be written into the 44807 grant. Beyond visual line of sight is not default Part 107. Part 108 (docket FAA-2025-1908) is a proposal, not in force.
What It Costs to Own One
How much does an ag drone cost?
The spray table lists U.S. dealer asking for airframe plus spray tank only. The heavy-lift table lists airframe plus the published OEM lift kit. Batteries, charger, generator, spreader, trailer, and insurance are extra. “Quote” means the seller will not publish a number. Import duty on a newly imported finished airframe is a separate line under the price.
Should I buy or hire the pass?
That is a farm-economics question, not an FAA or EPA rule. Buy if utilization will keep the aircraft busy. Hire if you only need a few application windows a year. Application rates are set by the market and by university custom-rate surveys, not by a federal schedule.
How long does the aircraft last?
There is no federal service-life number. Published wear items are batteries (cycle-limited), props, and — on spray and seed aircraft — pumps, hoses, and hoppers. Treat replacement batteries as an operating cost.
Acres, Batteries, and the Crew
How many acres can one drone cover in an hour?
Published manufacturer figures for a 10-gallon class sprayer are commonly in the 30–50 acres-per-hour range at a 2 gallon-per-acre carrier rate in a clean rectangular field, and higher on the 20-gallon-plus class. Seed and dry spread use hopper weight and swath, not tank gallons. Heavy-lift work is rated in payload and cable, not acres. Those published maxima drop with field shape, ferry distance, and battery swaps. Model-level numbers are on the spray table and the heavy-lift table.
How long does a battery last, and what generator do I need?
Published loaded flight times are typically shorter than an empty ferry. Charger and generator requirements are model-specific — use the figure on the manufacturer page for that aircraft. Spare packs keep the aircraft off the charger between loads.
Can one pilot fly more than one ag drone?
Default Part 107 is one small unmanned aircraft per remote pilot. Some 44807 grants authorize more than one aircraft, with extra conditions. Brochure multi-aircraft modes are not a substitute for that grant language.
Is a spray or lift drone also a mapping drone?
Most spray and lift models carry an FPV camera, and some add a gimbal camera. That is situational awareness for the job, not a mapping aircraft. Imagery-only scouting stays in Part 107 and does not need Part 137. Dedicated scout and mapping platforms sold in the U.S. are on the field-mapping report.
Spray, Seed, and Lift
What can these aircraft carry or dispense?
Spray tanks: liquids the label allows for aerial application. Spreaders: cover-crop seed, some fertilizers, and granular products when that use is legal. Cargo hooks and slings: closed loads that are not dispensed — parts, seed bags, tools. A tank is not a hook. Spray-only rows stay on the spray table. Published OEM lift kits are on the heavy-lift table.
Does the pesticide label allow drones?
EPA has not published a separate “drone pesticide rule.” Under FIFRA the label is legally enforceable. A UAS pass is treated as aerial application when the label does not ban aerial work, does not limit aerial work to an aircraft type the drone is not, and the rate, volume, droplet, buffer, and timing match the label. A label that bans all aerial application blocks the drone. Restricted-use products still need a certified applicator under 40 CFR Part 171.
Is seeding the same paperwork as spraying a pesticide?
Part 137 still applies. § 137.3 covers plant nourishment and propagation of plant life, not only economic poisons. Plain untreated seed or fertilizer is often outside FIFRA. Treated seed or a registered granule is not. State pesticide categories attach when the load is a registered product.
Hiring an Operator and Insurance
What should I ask a custom operator?
The Part 107 cards for the people who will fly, the 44807 grant for any aircraft at or over 55 lb, and the insurance certificate. If they will spray or seed, also the Part 137 certificate, the state applicator license with the aerial or UAS category when the load is a pesticide, and chemical or drift coverage — not only hull or “drone liability.” Confirm the aircraft on the job is the model named on the grant.
What does custom ag drone work cost?
There is no federal rate. Published university custom-rate surveys put row-crop drone spraying in a wide band around the low-to-mid teens per acre for the pass only; orchard, vineyard, and small or steep fields run higher. Product is extra. Seed and lift jobs are quoted by acre, by hour, or by load. Local quotes vary.
What insurance does an ag drone need?
FAA and EPA do not issue an insurance certificate. Many states require proof of liability as part of a commercial applicator license, and most custom contracts require it. Aviation liability, optional hull, and — when product leaves the aircraft — a chemical or drift endorsement are separate coverages. A policy that excludes spraying does not cover what left the nozzles. Cargo-only work is a different endorsement than a spray policy.
NDAA, FCC, and Tariffs
These are buying and import rules, not operating licenses. The glossary is on the regulations report.
Is “NDAA compliant” the same as Blue UAS or Conditional Approval?
No. “NDAA compliant” on a brochure is usually a vendor claim about critical parts. Blue UAS is a Department of War buy list of named models in named configurations. Green UAS is AUVSI’s civil audit. Conditional Approval is a DoW or DHS determination that the FCC publishes so a named model can stay off the Covered List. You do not need Blue UAS to work private ground. Private-farm legality and federal-procurement eligibility are two stacks.
Can I still fly a DJI, XAG, or EAVision ag drone I already own?
The FCC’s current Covered List FAQs say the list does not restrict continued use of a previously purchased, already-authorized device. The December 22, 2025 update blocks new equipment authorizations for foreign-produced UAS and critical components. PS Docket 26-189 is a separate proposal that would reach continued importation and marketing of some already-authorized foreign UAS; comments closed 2 September 2026 and no final order had issued as of 19 September 2026. Confirm the live FCC text before you buy a replacement airframe.
What is the 100% tariff on the price sheet?
Section 232 duties from Proclamation 11055, in force 3 September 2026. Newly imported finished UAS above about 55 lb, or with a built-in thermal imager, take 100%. Most smaller imported drones take 25%. U.S.-finished airframes take 0% on that finished-goods duty; imported parts inside a U.S.-assembled drone can still be taxed. Inventory that already cleared customs before 3 September 2026 does not automatically pick up the new rate. The tariff does not decide whether you may fly the aircraft.
Is a spray drone the same as a cargo drone?
No. Dispensing is a Part 137 agricultural aircraft operation. Moving seed bags or parts without dispensing is not. Platforms with a published U.S.-sold OEM lift, sling, or winch kit are on the heavy-lift report. Spray-only rows stay on the spray table.