In this DroneOn Show episode from the Kansas City, Missouri drone conference, Mike, Jason, and Dennis recap their 12-hour storm-dodging drive and the event’s huge growth—from a small hallway three years ago to a packed expo with new UAVs, trailers, and vendors. They break down the unreleased Helio big-drone prototype (full Hobbywing build, 3D-printed tank), its predecessor’s flop, and an upcoming July model. The group brainstorms drone futures: heavy-lift transport (crawdad hauls from swamps, irrigation pipe in Arizona mines, mountain drops), de-icing solar/wind farms, Starlink-enabled remote docks, and T100 speed advantages (45 mph returns potentially outpacing two T-50s at 70-80 acres/hour). They challenge viewers to comment on what drones will do in 10 years and reflect on how wild today’s predictions may sound soon.

In this episode of the DroneOn Show, host Mike chats with Newt, a Florida cattle farmer with 150 mama cows across three ranches who's also a veteran applicator branching into spray drones after years in the business with ground rigs and spreaders. Newt shares how he jumped into drones to secure his customer base when a client switched to aerial spraying for tall corn that ground rigs couldn't handle without damage, leading him to buy a full rig and spray at least 10,000 acres in his first season—enough to cover costs and stay in the black. They break down the realities of the application game: slim 5-8% profit margins after factoring in trucks, labor, insurance, and hidden costs; the need to travel for more corn work; trailer tweaks like plumbing upgrades and inductions for guys coming from ground rigs; and why drones shine in Florida's wet, humid fields where rigs get stuck or create ruts. Newt dishes on efficiency tips like marking obstacles for better autonomous flights, and a hilarious first-flight crash where his T50 sucked up the controller and exploded props—but survived with just blade swaps to rack up 5,000 acres. If you're eyeing the spray drone life, from startup costs and customer retention to crash lessons and landing pro tips, this raw field talk from a cattleman-turned-drone op delivers.

In Episode 37 of the DroneOn Show, host Mike catches up with Henry, a local Ohio-based thermal drone pilot who's also diving into agricultural spraying, fresh off flying 15,000 acres of fungicide on corn across Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana with Dennis's crew. Henry breaks down the surprisingly easy transition from enterprise drones to spray drones—taking just about 10 hours to get comfortable—highlighting how stable they are despite the extra weight and why manual plus mode is a quick learn for anyone with prior drone experience. They dive into a typical 14-16 hour spray day: starting at sunup for calm winds, pushing through weather challenges (mostly minor this season), and the grind of beating storms while keeping drones clean nightly. Henry shares wild deer recovery stories, like yelling at 2 a.m. after finding "impossible" deer on back-to-back calls (one a liver shot, another a shoulder hit), plus spotting over 800 deer and 25 bears on a massive 5,000-acre thermal survey—leading to DNR involvement for bear studies and potential future wildlife work with bobcats and dens. The convo hits on drone tech's future, from using the Matrice 4TD as repeaters for insane range to DJI docks enabling worldwide remote flights via Starlink, and Henry's $5,000 repair saga turning his crashed 30T into a near-new backup. If you're eyeing a spray drone business, thermal recoveries, or just love real field stories of risk, sacrifice, and success, this episode packs it in.

In this episode of The Drone On Show, Mike sits down with Cameron Hershberger to dive deep into the world of thermal drones for deer recovery and the booming spray drone business in agriculture. Cam shares his incredible journey from a logging background to building a thriving drone service that's recovered over 100 deer in just one season!

We cover everything from starting a side gig that exploded into a full-time passion, the challenges of balancing hunting with drone work, wild stories of close calls in the woods (both logging and deer tracking), and Cam's plans to expand into Belize for untapped farming opportunities. Plus, tips on customer service, regulations, and why passion beats profit-chasing in this industry. Whether you're a hunter, drone enthusiast, or aspiring entrepreneur, this episode is packed with real-talk insights, and advice on avoiding scams in drone recoveries.

In Episode 35 of the DroneOn Show, Mike chats with Madison Raber, owner of Tree Stand Forestry and a seasoned drone pilot. Madison shares his expertise in forestry consulting, focusing on timber harvesting and habitat improvement for deer hunters. Dive into discussions on using thermal drones for deer recoveries, herd surveys, and the devastating impact of EHD in Ohio. They also explore emerging tech like LiDAR for timber analysis, hunting stories from public lands, and even spray drones for invasive species control. Whether you're into drones, hunting, or land management, this episode is packed with insights! Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more DroneOn content.

Hey guys, me and Kevin sit down to discuss and dissect the new FCC Drone Ban rules. 

In this episode of the DroneOn Show, host Mike chats with Melvin Lahmers, an agronomist and seed consultant from TMK Bakersville who's been in the farming game for over 30 years, growing up on a family farm and helping growers feed the world through crop consulting, custom applications, and aerial tech. They dive right into a hilarious cold call from an 80-year-old farmer hunting for a drone to check on his cattle—bashing Walmart models that "only fly 500-600 feet" and skipping licenses altogether—while stressing how drones save calves and boost efficiency without needing Wi-Fi or fancy features. Melvin shares his pilot's perspective on scouting fields from the air, the evolution from satellite imagery to drones for spotting issues like irrigation problems or disease in corn, and why fungicide applications via drones are a game-changer for yield boosts in river bottom ground. They tackle big-picture topics like the potential DJI ban's massive impact on U.S. farmers (with no comparable American alternatives yet), regulatory hurdles, the "air show" crowd who just want to see drones in action, and tips for applicators on dealing with curious onlookers or charging for demos. Melvin opens up about his unique "confidence cards" he hands out for motivation, drawn from coaching youth basketball, and emphasizes the need for perspective in ag's fast-changing world. If you're into real talk on drone tech's role in modern farming, from practical cattle scouting to high-stakes policy fights, this episode delivers.

In Episode 32 of the DroneOn Show, host Mike sits down with Kirk Price, a West Virginia-based hunter, YouTuber, and outdoor enthusiast who tagged out early during Ohio's gun week. They kick things off with a wild story from opening morning: using a thermal drone to spot a trespasser on leased land, complete with a suspicious white truck sporting a Yeti sticker and no hunter orange in sight—leading to a full video reveal on both channels. Kirk shares his journey from filming silly backyard videos as a kid to building a massive YouTube following, including his viral hit featuring a bear born without front arms that's still thriving in the wild. The conversation dives into bear hunting with hounds in rugged West Virginia terrain, drone regulations for scouting and recoveries (including chats with wardens about filming hunts), and why bear meat gets a bad rap—plus Kirk's favorite recipes like Instant Pot roasts and bear burgers that prove it's delicious when prepped right. They touch on everything from Amish diners and thermal drone tips to Kirk's sports fandom and his take on not naming wildlife to avoid humanizing them. If you're into real hunting tales, drone tech in the field, and wild game cooking, this one's a must-listen.

Kirk Price Instagram: @kirkprice_

Kirk Price YouTube: @KirkPrice

In Episode 31 of the DroneOn Show, we sit down with Eugene Punelli, a former crop-dusting company drone pilot turned independent operator out of Bakersfield, California. Eugene shares his real-world experience flying DJI T-50s (and soon a T-100) alongside traditional airplanes and helicopters in the heart of America’s breadbasket – California’s Central Valley. We dive deep into why California spray volumes run 5–10 gallons per acre and what that means for drone efficiency on massive fields of almonds, pistachios, carrots, grapes, corn, alfalfa, and cotton. He opens up about how growers are reacting to spray drones, the real tension (and mutual respect) between drone pilots and traditional ag pilots, and the advantages of night spraying in avoiding bees and heat. Eugene also breaks down California’s unique regulatory hurdles, including PCA requirements that make the state slower to adopt drones than the Midwest, and shares his bold plan to go independent with bigger drones, more trailers, and what equipment he’s buying next. Finally, we tackle the big question: Is it too late to start a drone spraying business in California in 2026? If you’ve ever wondered how drone spraying works on the West Coast versus the Corn Belt, this episode is gold.

In Episode 31 of the DroneOn Show, we sit down with Eugene Pinelli, a former crop-dusting company drone pilot turned independent operator out of Bakersfield, California. Eugene shares his real-world experience flying DJI T-50s (and soon a T-100) alongside traditional airplanes and helicopters in the heart of America’s breadbasket – California’s Central Valley. We dive deep into why California spray volumes run 5–10 gallons per acre and what that means for drone efficiency on massive fields of almonds, pistachios, carrots, grapes, corn, alfalfa, and cotton. He opens up about how growers are reacting to spray drones, the real tension (and mutual respect) between drone pilots and traditional ag pilots, and the advantages of night spraying in avoiding bees and heat. Eugene also breaks down California’s unique regulatory hurdles, including PCA requirements that make the state slower to adopt drones than the Midwest, and shares his bold plan to go independent with bigger drones, more trailers, and what equipment he’s buying next. Finally, we tackle the big question: Is it too late to start a drone spraying business in California in 2026? If you’ve ever wondered how drone spraying works on the West Coast versus the Corn Belt, this episode is gold.