Running 500 acres in the Midwest means battling clay soils and pop-up storms. The Hylio AG-272, an American-built beast from Texas, impressed has impressed many farmers with its no-fuss autonomy and field-tough build—echoing Purdue's emphasis on scalable ag tech. At 18 gallons capacity, it's tailored for producers hitting 1,000+ acres seasonally, blending power with practical support that keeps small teams productive.
An 18-gallon tank with TeeJet nozzles and electronic flow meters supports 4-8 GPM, ideal for herbicides or fungicides. The 40-foot swath covers 50 acres per hour at 2 GPA, with adjustable droplet spectra (VMD 150-300 microns) for minimal drift—dye tests have shown 92% coverage uniformity. Rotor downwash penetrates dense canopies, making it a game-changer for tall corn without the overlaps of boom sprayers.
Dual 42Ah, 51.8V LiPo batteries deliver 10-12 minutes per tank, with a 1-2 mile range under VLOS. Parallel charging (two packs in 30 minutes) via rugged stations means zero idle time; LED indicators and cycle tracking (up to 800 uses) align with my maintenance logs. In humid opperations, they've held 95% capacity after 200 cycles, outperforming generics.
Dual GPS units with optional RTK base (cm accuracy) pair with wide-angle radars for 360° avoidance. The AgroSol GCS software—lifetime free access—syncs with my GIS for variable prescriptions, generating as-applied maps post-flight. Command three units from one station for swarm ops, and the handheld GPS marks boundaries on-the-fly. FPV streaming ensures spot-checks without circling, integrating cleanly with scouting apps for pest-targeted sprays.
Aerospace-grade composites and redundant systems shrug off dust and light rain, with modular arms surviving rough landings on wet fields. Eight rotors provide stability in 8 mph winds, and low-profile skids navigate row middles without damage—perfect for my undulating terrain.
Hylio's complimentary Part 137 guidance streamlines FAA certs, including docs for FSDO interviews. Radars enable real-time obstacle dodging in manual or auto modes, with geofencing and low-battery auto-return. NDAA-compliant hardware meets DoD standards if you're in restricted zones, and the one-year warranty includes compliance audits.
Easily serviceable with included tool kits (torque wrenches, levels), nozzle cleans take 10 minutes daily. Video tutorials and written guides cover everything from mixing to regs in 30 hours total—expect to master it in two days. Remote support (phone/video, Mon-Sat) and OTA updates keep it current without shop visits.
For row crop warriors eyeing American-made muscle, the AG-272 delivers without the import hassles. Scaling to thousands of acres? Let's chat about your fleet size.
