What A Landowner Should Expect When Hiring a Drone Aerial Applicator for Forestry Herbicide Application

Authors

Jon R. Carter, Clemson UniversityFollow
Patrick Hiesl, Clemson UniversityFollow
Jared A. Elmore, Clemson UniversityFollow
Nilesh Timilsina, Clemson UniversityFollow

Student Author Information

Jon R. Carter, CAFLS/Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation. Graduate student MFR degree. Graduated in December 2024.

Clemson Extension Program Team

Forestry and Natural Resources

Publication Date

11-18-2025

Publication Number

1213

Summary

Chemical site preparation using herbicides is done primarily through three conventional methods: backpack sprayers, sprayers on forestry equipment, and helicopters/fixed-wing aircraft. However, in recent years, agricultural drones have been increasingly utilized to apply herbicides. While drones (unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)) can perform common forestry tasks, meeting with the drone aerial applicator and collecting data for the herbicide application may look unfamiliar. This publication will help landowners and forestry professionals become more familiar with chemical site preparation and seedling releases applied by drones and what they should expect from start to finish from providers utilizing this technology.

Publisher

Land-Grant Press by Clemson Extension

Publisher City

Clemson, SC

Target Audiences

Forest landowners, Foresters

Recommended Citation

Carter, Jon R.; Hiesl, Patrick; Elmore, Jared A.; and Timilsina, Nilesh, "What A Landowner Should Expect When Hiring a Drone Aerial Applicator for Forestry Herbicide Application". Clemson (SC): Clemson Cooperative Extension, Land-Grant Press by Clemson Extension; 2025. 1213. https://open.clemson.edu/forest_wildlife/55