The world’s largest agriculture drone can now hit U.S. fields

Agriculture drones are commonplace on a lot of U.S. farms today, but now, the world’s largest has been approved for use over U.S. fields.

The Pelican-2 aircraft was designed and built by Pyka, a robotics company.

It is the largest autonomous aircraft approved by the FAA for commercial use, and it has an 80-gallon payload, covering 222 acres per hour.

Pyka teamed up with several other ag companies to distribute the drone. Company leaders say deliveries are set to go out over the coming months.

Related Stories
A new proposal from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) could transform how farmers use drones, allowing commercial operators to fly beyond their visual line of sight.
The FAA’s proposed rule to allow drones to operate beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) could soon revolutionize how farmers and ranchers manage their land.
Farm legal and taxation expert Roger McEowen discusses the rise of drone technology in agriculture and how the ”plain view” doctrine could inform future regulatory law and insurance inspections of farmland.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

University of Nebraska–Lincoln ag educator Matt Kreifels discusses his recent FFA Alumni award and the future of ag education.
Mexico plans to release 202,000 acre-feet of water into the Rio Grande, offering temporary relief to South Texas farmers as Congress advances the PERMIT Act.
Analysts say that while low-income households are facing financial pressures, other middle- and higher-income consumers are helping fill the gap for retail beef demand.
Despite China’s sharp drop in grain purchases this year, new USDA export data this week shows that even some buying activity from the trade giant still moves the markets.
Tim and Sharyn Abbott of the Music City Celebration Sale recap the weekend’s premier auction, which drew top dairy breeders and buyers to Nashville again this year from across North America.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.