MSU Spring Spray Drone Fly-In

April 8, 2026 9:00AM - 5:00PM

Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center 1791 Hillandale Rd Benton Harbor, MI 49022

This is an all-day educational event for both current and future spray drone operators. This event will combine morning discussions and presentations from industry-leading experts with afternoon in-field demonstrations.

Doors open at 8 a.m., with the event starting at 9 a.m. Lunch will be provided.

What to Expect

Morning Education Sessions:

Learn from industry experts about best practices, regulations, and the latest research on spray drone applications in agriculture and related industries. Speakers will include:

Mark Ledebuhr (Application Insight LLC) – Fundamentals practices for chemical applications from drones
Mike Reinke(MSU Extension) – Navigating compliance with the FAA
Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD)– Current state regulations for aerial applicators
Mike Reinke – Understanding pesticide safety when operating spray drones

Afternoon Demonstrations (as weather permits):

A drone comparison showcase – multiple drone makes and models will be on display. They will be flown side by side to demonstrate similarities and differences among manufacturers. This will help you learn how to set up your drone and decide which drone makes sense for your next one.
How do you evaluate the swath? – We will do this through the swath collection and evaluation process using the Swath Gobbler hardware and software
How do rotary atomizers actually work? – We will run the spray systems of multiple drone models to show what happens to the product as it leaves the spray drone and how to adjust it to make it do what you want.