Start with the work you want to offer
The route into this work depends on the services you intend to sell. Mapping and crop scouting are the most accessible starting point, because they apply no product and carry a lighter regulatory load. Spreading granular products is a step up. Spraying licensed pesticides is the most tightly controlled of all and currently sits behind specific permits.
Be honest with yourself about local demand before you invest. A drone business is built on repeat agricultural customers, not on the novelty of the aircraft.
Training and permissions
Expect to need a General VLOS Certificate as your baseline qualification, then a CAA Operational Authorisation to fly commercially in the Specific category. Agricultural spray and spread drones weigh well over 25 kg when loaded, so they fall outside the standard PDRA01 permission and need a bespoke authorisation based on a Specific Operations Risk Assessment.
If you plan to apply pesticides, you also need to understand the Health and Safety Executive permit position for aerial spraying, along with relevant product and plant protection knowledge. Speak to training providers before buying equipment, so the course, the aircraft and the services you want to offer all line up.
Equipment and support
Ask dealers about payload, batteries, charging, software, calibration, spares, repairs and setup, and whether there is genuine UK support rather than just a sale. Running costs and downtime matter far more to a working operator than brochure performance figures.
The right equipment is the one that fits the jobs you can legally and profitably deliver, not the largest model on the page. Talk to operators already doing the work before you commit.
Getting listed
Once you have public evidence of your services, a working website and clear contact details, you can submit your business for review or claim an existing listing on this directory. A complete, verified listing is easier for farmers to trust and to find.
Useful links
Start with the operator directory, training providers, equipment page and quote request form.
FAQs
Do I need training?
Yes. Expect a General VLOS Certificate as a baseline, then a CAA Operational Authorisation, plus application and agricultural knowledge for the work you sell.
What is the easiest service to start with?
Mapping and crop scouting, because they apply no product and carry a lighter regulatory load than spreading or spraying.
Should I buy equipment first?
No. Speak to training and equipment providers and confirm local demand before buying. Services first, then training, then equipment.
Can I spray pesticides as a new operator?
Only under the Health and Safety Executive permit system for aerial spraying. Many new operators focus on spreading and mapping while that picture develops.