Arthur Erickson is CEO and Founder of Hylio Drones.  Hylio develops and offers innovative drone systems that automate precision agriculture treatments. Hylio is American owned and operated, and its drones are made in the USA with US and globally sourced components. Using Hylio’s technology, farmers/producers can now apply crop treatments directly to problem areas, allowing farmers to increase yields by addressing pests and deficiencies with more accuracy and efficacy

Earlier this year, Hylio received first ever FAA exemption for 55+ pound drone swarms to fly over agricultural lands.  Under the exemption, Hylio has been granted permission to swarm up to three 55+ pound UAVs at a time with one pilot and no visual observer.  The drones will monitor crops using AI, plant seeds and perform spray applications of fertilizer, pesticides, and more.  This achievement sets an important precedent for the commercial UAS industry and lays the groundwork for other operators to file and obtain the same permissions. 

Arthur received a degree in Aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. While working as a UAS researcher at UT, he started Hylio in 2015 alongside fellow students. Arthur has led Hylio from their early days of prototyping through the present.  Today, Hylio’s systems are owned and operated by hundreds of farmers and applicators in both the US and abroad. 

In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Arthur talks about Hylio, the FAA exemption for agricultural drone swarms and how this will impact the drone industry.