The DroneOn Show

In this episode of The DroneOn Show, Mike sits with Rhyan Syester of Veteran Drone Services at a drone convention. After 24 years in the Army, Rhyan swapped combat boots for drones, spraying crops and tackling rural challenges with precision in Trigg County. From learning drone tech on YouTube to aiding deer recovery, he’s building a spray drone business from scratch. Bold strategies for...

In episode 23 of The DroneOn Show, Mike, Kevin, and Jason recap their Vegas Commercial UAV conference trip, networking for new products like power washing drones and a $100,000 search and rescue device. They dive into DJI bans, Part 108 regulations, and deer recovery with thermal drones. With T100 release on the horizon, they urge listeners to get on the list. Be sure to check out the bl...

In this episode of The DroneOn Show, Mike sits with Hayden Crum, a 20-year-old Ohio entrepreneur who launched Midwest Air as a high school freshman. From a 7th-generation, 5,000-acre family farm, Hayden’s spraying 100,000 acres with DJI T20s and Zagg drones, outpacing helicopters with better coverage. Despite a power line crash and Ohio’s drought challenges, he’s scaling to 30,000 acres ...

In episode 21 of The DroneOn Show, Mike chats with Charles about starting a drone spraying business in New York, targeting fields of onions, corn, carrots, cabbage and potatoes. From picking up drones in March to spraying in April, Charles shares insights on navigating the state's strict pesticide rules and the divide between city regulations and rural farming. With discussions on urban ...

In this episode of The DroneOn Show, Mike and Jason chat with Taylor from Agri Spray Drones, the largest agricultural drone distributor. From overcoming a heart attack to scaling a family business with 40 employees, Taylor shares raw insights on growth, training, and the future of drones in ag. With stories of viral trailers and industry challenges, it’s a must for drone ent...

In this episode of The DroneOn Show, Mike and Kevin dive into the T100 drone's potential efficiencies, Part 108 regulations for ag applications, and the beef between drones and airplanes/helicopters. They explore drone bans, industry challenges, and why drones are reshaping aerial ag. Packed with raw tips, it’s a must for ag drone pioneers. Join the skyward revolution now!

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In this episode of The DroneOn Show, Mike sits with Juany Mattson of Vortex Advantage Ag at a drone convention in Alabama. A former Napa Valley winery co-founder, Juany, 54, swapped $300 Cabernet for spraying 20,000-acre Texas ranches. With a viral trailer layout on YouTube, he’s building a one-stop drone shop, tackling prickly pear and rugged terrain.

Chapters

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In episode 17 of The DroneOn Show, Mike and Kevin tackle DJI bans, battery management, and the grind of securing the first thousand acres as a newbie. They dive into Whitetail Research with thermal drones, T100 drone potential, and overcoming startup hurdles like confidence-building and field mishaps. Great advice for aspiring drone entrepreneurs!

Chapters

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In this episode of The DroneOn Show, Mike, his wife Karen, and Kevin share the gritty reality of launching a drone business while balancing married life. Mike and Kevin dive into their hands-on experience with the new DJI T100, a titan drone revolutionizing aerial spraying. They discuss their spraying experience in Kentucky. From outpacing plane crop dusters to integrating drones into ag...

In this episode of The DroneOn Show, Austin joins Jaden and Ryan at Deadwood Outfitters, where Chazak Rescue trains cadets in drone-powered search and rescue. From thermal imaging to locate survivors to dropping payloads in remote Idaho, they push drones to the limit—crashing one in a tree during a 2.3-mile test! Inspired by hurricane response in North Carolina, Chazak’s drone program, b...

In this episode of The DroneOn Show, Mike rides along with Brent and son Griffin in Kansas, where they spray over 100,000 acres yearly with ground rigs. Testing drones on terraced fields, they hit 2,500 acres in three weeks, aiming for 600 acres daily. From T60 battery tweaks to terrain-following tech for tree rows, Brent hands the drone reins to Griffin, a young pilot eyein...

In this episode of The DroneOn Show, Mike sits with James Harris of Southern Crop Services at a drone convention. A corporate pilot who soloed at 16, James swapped cockpits for drones, spraying 70,000 acres on a 500,000-acre Florida ranch, including a 34,000-acre pasture job in a month. Starting with their first Unimog rig that sparked viral buzz, he tackles rugged terrain a...

In this episode of The DroneOn Show, Mike sits down with Jesse Bailey of South Alabama Drone Services at a drone convention. A multi-generational farmer sidelined by a back injury, Jesse turned to drones, spraying 9,000 acres in year one and scaling to 30,000 with two pilots. From fine-tuning 32-foot swaths for peanuts to nailing 500-acre herbicide jobs within a tenth of a pound, he shar...

In Episode 11 of The DroneOn Show, Mike and Kevin share their mind-blowing trip to China’s biggest UAV expo in Shenzhen, home to 70% of global consumer drones. From power-washing skyscrapers to fire-suppression drones, China’s cutting-edge applications soar with government incentives for farmers, outpacing U.S. progress stalled by FAA’s 3-6 month delays and tariff chaos. They dream up a ...

In Episode 10 of The DroneOn Show, Mike meets a Ukrainian spray pilot and U.N. drone consultant at a drone convention. Discover how Ukraine’s drone boom, including a client’s epic 150,000-acre sunflower spray in three weeks, is revolutionizing U.S. ag. Learn how this pilot boosted blueberry yields by 3-5% on a 1,235-acre organic farm, mastered low-moisture crop desiccation to cut drying ...

From Ground Rigs to Drones!
In Episode 9 of The DroneOn Show, Mike catches up with brothers Zach and Gabe Martindale at a drone convention to dive into their spray drone business in Corona, Michigan. From battling pollen with ground rigs to scaling up with T20P and P100 Pro drones, they share their grind—covering 20,000+ acres, mapping fields with Mavics, and tackling tar spo...

Newbies in Ag Drones? This One’s for You! In Episode 8 of The DroneOn Show, Mike hits the road at a drone convention to chat with Trevor and Terra, a Utah couple transitioning from small hobby drones to running a spray drone business. From their micro-dairy farm to spraying alfalfa and cover crops on pivot fields with a T50, they share their start-up story, challenges with dry applicati...

In Episode 7 of The DroneOn Show, we sit down with Ryan McNally, NuWay Ag’s sales rep who’s on the phone all day with entrepreneurs and farmers! Ryan unpacks the common drone questions he hears daily—from T50 vs. T60x decisions to launching a custom application business and tackling concerns like licensing and training. From muddy Ohio fields to nationwide startups, get the real scoop on...

Welcome to The DroneOn Show! In this episode, hosts Mike Yoder and Jason sit down with Preston, owner of Pac Aerial Applications, to explore how drones are transforming agriculture in the rugged mountains of North Carolina. From spraying herbicides on steep cattle pastures to applying treatments on Christmas tree farms, Preston shares his journey of starting a drone spray company and the...