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.

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!

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 businesses, they reveal hard-won insights for aspiring drone entrepreneurs.

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, backed by donated gear, equips teams for disaster aid. Raw tips for drone-powered lifesaving missions!

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 eyeing a fleet. Gritty insights for ag drone pioneers!

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 and FAA training hurdles, sharing gritty lessons for ag drone grinders.

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 shares hard-earned tips on avoiding striping and handling chemicals safely as a cancer survivor. A must for ag drone hustlers!

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 future with robotic arms swapping heavy drone batteries to ease 35-pound pack struggles, offering gritty insights for ag innovators. #DroneOnShow #AgDrones #DroneBusiness #NuWayAg

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 costs, and fixed striping with precise wind tracking. Packed with tips to grow your drone business!

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 spot on corn. Hear their struggles (like a T40 crash!), growth tips, and goals to hit 67,000 acres. Perfect for young entrepreneurs eyeing ag drones!