Key Takeaways
- Kelly Hills CEO Lukas Koch advocates for increased support of autonomous drone tech in agriculture
- Kelly Hills operates the largest FAA-approved agricultural drone test range in the U.S.
- Field trials with 38-foot Pyka Pelican drone demonstrate potential for input savings and yield improvements
- Company urges reform of low-altitude drone flight regulations and stronger public-private research partnerships
- Event hosted by U.S. Senator Roger Marshall with participation from Secretaries Rollins and Kennedy
Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems Highlights AgTech Potential in Kansas
At the Precision Agriculture and Soil Health Roundtable held today and hosted by U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS), Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems CEO Lukas Koch called for a new era of agricultural innovation powered by autonomous drone systems, research partnerships, and regulatory modernization. The roundtable featured remarks from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr.
“U.S. agriculture has a proud history of reinvention,” Koch said, referencing past innovations such as synthetic fertilizers and no-till farming. “But today’s producers are confronting tougher realities: declining input effectiveness, water scarcity, labor shortages, and volatile markets.”
Kelly Hills’ Autonomous Drone Testing Aims to Improve Input Efficiency
Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems operates the country’s largest contiguous FAA-approved test range for agricultural drone applications. The Kansas-based facility has hosted trials of the Pyka Pelican, a 38-foot unmanned aerial system that is currently the largest FAA-approved drone for commercial agricultural use.
According to Koch, precision drone spraying offers significant benefits. “Studies suggest autonomous spraying can cut water use by over 70%, reduce chemical inputs by 80%, and improve fertilizer efficiency by 50%,” he said. “That’s real efficiency for farmers—and healthier food for consumers.”
Multi-Sector Collaboration Anchored in the Midwest
The test range has facilitated partnerships with institutions such as Kansas State University, Wichita State, Mississippi State, and MIT, as well as with private-sector entities including Pyka, SiFly, Precision AI, and Yamaha. Koch emphasized the importance of proving these technologies in practical settings, stating: “We’re proving these solutions in the middle of the country, where deep aviation and agricultural roots combine to deliver practical, scalable tools for farmers.”
Kelly Hills is also exploring broader UAS applications, from rural medical supply deliveries to grassland firefighting and pest control, including New World screwworm abatement.
Regulatory Reform as a Path to Adoption
To support the continued development and deployment of drone technologies, Koch called on policymakers to modernize regulations—specifically, low-altitude line-of-sight restrictions and navigation systems for manned and unmanned aviation.
“Kansas producers are ready to lead,” Koch concluded. “With support from industry, research, and government, American innovation can feed the world more sustainably, safely, and profitably than ever before.”
