A young entrepreneur in rural Cass County, Illinois, is transforming agricultural spraying operations with his drone business. Isaac Strubbe, at just 20 years old, runs Strubbe Drone Spraying LLC, offering precision chemical application services while also serving as a DJI dealer, according to a report from the Journal-Courier.
From Farm Kid to Drone Expert
After graduating from Triopia High School and earning an associate’s degree in precision ag technology, Strubbe was looking for an innovative way to contribute to his family’s farming operation. His breakthrough moment came at the 2022 MAGIE show near Bloomington, where he first witnessed drone spraying demonstrations.
“I was blown away,” Strubbe recalls. “I knew that was something I wanted to do.”
By October of that same year, he had launched his business while continuing to help with his family’s corn and soybean farm.
Advanced Drone Operations
Strubbe’s operation uses sophisticated DJI agricultural drones equipped with 10.5-gallon tanks that can spray for about 10 minutes before requiring a refill and battery change. His custom-built trailer serves as a mobile command center, housing the drones, batteries, chargers, a gas-powered generator, and chemical tanks. Working solo, he can cover an 80-acre field in approximately one hour. When working with his occasional helper, Connor Musch, they operate two drones simultaneously from one trailer, doubling their coverage to 160 acres per hour.
Regulatory Compliance and Technical Expertise
The path to becoming a licensed drone sprayer required significant preparation and certification. Strubbe obtained his FAA Part 107 Certificate to fly drones commercially and a Part 137 Certificate specifically for pesticide application. Additionally, he secured an aerial applicators license from the state of Illinois. His technical expertise extends to using specialized mapping software on his phone to identify obstacles like power lines and fence lines, creating detailed flight plans that are downloaded to his controller with a 7-inch screen.
Precision and Efficiency
Strubbe’s drone service offers distinct advantages over traditional spraying methods. The drones can operate with exceptional precision near obstacles like tree lines and power lines, where conventional aircraft must maintain their distance. They can work effectively in wet field conditions that would bog down ground equipment, and their consistent flight height ensures uniform coverage patterns. “Drones can do things planes and helicopters can’t,” Strubbe explains. “I don’t have to pull up at the end of the field; I can spray all the way to the fence line.”
Growth in Agricultural Drone Use
The agricultural Drone Industry has seen remarkable growth. According to USDA data, in 2021, more than 120,000 drones were deployed to spray chemicals on over 175.5 million acres of farmland across America, with more than 200,000 agricultural-drone pilots in operation…