What Hylio does

Hylio is a Texas-based manufacturer of autonomous agricultural spray drones serving row-crop farmers, commercial applicators, and government agencies. The company's core product is a vertically integrated drone platform comprising the next-generation HYL-series (ARES HYL-150, ATLAS HYL-300, PEGASUS HYL-30) and the PHOTON scout drone, paired with proprietary ground control software (AgroSol GCS) and an all-in-one NDAA-compliant controller (GroundLink). Hylio's competitive differentiation rests on a March 2024 FAA approval — the first ever — for swarm operations of 55+ lb agricultural drones by a single operator, full NDAA compliance that positions the company as a domestic alternative to Chinese OEMs in federal procurement, and modular spray/spreader payload configurations supporting both liquid and granular applications across diverse crop types.

Hylio generates revenue primarily through hardware sales of agricultural drone systems, complemented by software licensing of AgroSol GCS, accessories and spare parts sold via a Shopify storefront, and transaction-based financing routed through Hill Financial, KISCO, and Stearns Bank. The company employs a hybrid go-to-market: direct sales assisted by an online drone configurator (configurator.hyl.io) and a sales team, combined with an authorized dealer network for regional coverage. Target customers span large agricultural enterprises (King Ranch, Nutrien, Wilbur-Ellis), federal agencies (USDA, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), and international agricultural operations across the Americas and Africa.

The business is founder-led and capital-light relative to its manufacturing footprint, operating from a 40,000+ square-foot purpose-built facility in Richmond, Texas with reported 2025 revenue of $13 million and annual production capacity scaling from 2,500 to 5,000+ drone units. Strategic priorities evident in the data include vertically integrating NDAA-compliant battery manufacturing via a KULR Technology joint development collaboration (announced February 2026), expanding the HYL-series lineup, and extending into adjacent use cases such as solar farm maintenance and emergency response applications.

Name

Hylio

Legal name

Hylio Inc.

Website

https://hyl.io

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hylio designs and manufactures autonomous agricultural spray and scout drones — including the HYL-series (ARES, ATLAS, PEGASUS) and PHOTON — paired with proprietary AgroSol GCS ground control software, serving row-crop farmers, commercial applicators, and U.S. federal agencies from its Richmond, Texas facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Drones

NAICS

Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)

SIC

Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)

akta.pro primary industry

Aerial Application Drones & UAS Spray Systems (AFAAADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Autonomous/Robotic Crop Protection Applicators (UGVs, Smart Sprayers) (AFAAADAJ), Agricultural UAV/UGV Autonomy Platforms (Navigation, mission planning, fleet autonomy) (AFAAAGAF), Aerial Surveying & Crop Scouting (Imaging, Mapping, Stand Counts) (AFACAIAJ)

Keywords

• Agricultural drones
• Precision agriculture
• Crop spraying UAS
• Autonomous flight systems
• Swarm drone technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Agricultural Drone Hardware Sales: Primary revenue stream from selling agricultural spray drones and unmanned aerial systems. Products include spray drones configured for precision agricultural applications with various payload capacities and specifications.
2. Software Licensing: Revenue from licensing proprietary software including AgroSol GCS (Ground Control System) for mission planning, flight monitoring, and operational data management.
3. Accessories and Spare Parts: Revenue from accessories, spare parts, and consumables sold through e-commerce platform (Shopify store) including spray nozzles, batteries, and maintenance components.
4. Financing Services: Partnership-based financing options offered through Hill Financial, KISCO, and Stearns Bank enabling customers to purchase equipment through delayed payment plans.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hylio designs, manufactures, and sells autonomous agricultural spray drones and supporting ground control software for precision crop treatment. The company offers a turnkey hardware-software platform including the HYL-series AgDrones (ARES, ATLAS, PEGASUS), the PHOTON scout drone, the AgroSol GCS mission planning and fleet control software, and the GroundLink NDAA-compliant controller. Operations also span solar farm maintenance and emergency response applications.

Product overview

Hylio is a Texas-based manufacturer of agricultural drone systems offering a comprehensive portfolio of spray drones, scout drones, ground control software, and accessories. The product lineup centers on the HYL-series next-generation drones (ARES HYL-150, ATLAS HYL-300, PEGASUS HYL-30) featuring modular configurations for liquid spraying and granular spreading, complemented by the legacy AG-series models (AG-210 through AG-272) of varying payload capacities. The proprietary AgroSol GCS software platform serves as the unified ground control system across all drones, enabling mission planning, swarm control (up to 3 drones per operator), and comprehensive application reporting. The GroundLink Controller provides an all-in-one NDAA-compliant hardware interface, while accessories include RTK base stations for centimeter accuracy, granular spreaders, LiPo batteries, chargers, and spare parts kits. The company positions itself as a turnkey solution provider combining hardware, software, FAA licensing support, and training for precision agricultural spraying operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AgroSol GCS: Hylio's flagship ground control software platform for planning crop treatments, commanding drone fleets, and analyzing application data.
• GroundLink Controller

Products and services

• ARES (HYL-150) Flagship agricultural spray drone featuring a 13/20 gallon liquid payload capacity, capable of covering up to 70 acres per hour at 2 GPA. Supports modular configurations including hydraulic nozzles, rotary atomizers, and granular spreader attachments.
• ATLAS (HYL-300) Large-capacity agricultural drone designed for high application rates (8-10 gallons per acre) and wide-area coverage, with 30/50 gallon payload capacity for large-scale spraying, seeding, and fertilizing.
• PEGASUS (HYL-30) Compact drone platform engineered for precision aerial applications with 2.5/4 gallon payload capacity, designed for spot-spraying weeds, applying nutrients to specific plant zones, and treating disease outbreaks with minimal chemical usage.
• PHOTON Scout Drone Multi-purpose scout drone with up to 55 minutes flight time, supporting thermal EO/IR sensors, high-resolution RGB imaging, and multispectral capabilities for agronomic analysis, emergency response, and industrial surveying applications.
• AgroSol GCS Proprietary ground control software platform enabling mission planning, fleet command (up to 3 drones per ground station), real-time monitoring, application reporting, and maintenance tracking, with NDAA-compliant cloud infrastructure for government use.
• GroundLink Controller All-in-one NDAA-compliant ground station solution featuring a 13.3-inch Windows 11 tablet with integrated 2.4 GHz radio, IP67 rating, 1000-nit sunlight-readable display, and swarm control capability for up to 3 drones; NDAA Section 889 and 848 compliant.
• Granular Spreader Automated rotary spreader device for precise application of seeds, pesticide granules, and solid products; compatible with all Hylio UAS models, featuring programmable autonomous operation via AgroSol and variable payload capacities.
• RTK Base Station Real-Time Kinematic base station enabling centimeter-level GPS positioning accuracy for AgriDrones, featuring collapsible tripod design for portability and easy setup.
• AG-272 Heavy-lift legacy agricultural spray drone with 18-gallon liquid payload capacity, 50 acres/hour productivity at 2 GPA rate, and maximum 600 lb thrust, with modular nozzle configurations.
• AG-230 Mid-size legacy agricultural spray drone with 8-gallon dual-tank capacity, 50 acres/hour at 1 GPA rate, and 269.6 lb max thrust.
• AG-216 Compact legacy agricultural spray drone with 4.2-gallon tank capacity, 27.5 acres/hour at 1 GPA rate, and 202.2 lb max thrust with 6-nozzle configuration.
• AG-210 Entry-level legacy agricultural spray drone with 2.6-gallon tank capacity, 15 acres/hour at 1 GPA rate, and 134.8 lb max thrust in a compact folding design.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced chemical usage through precise GPS-enabled application
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• KULR Technology GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development collaboration to design, prototype, qualify, and manufacture NDAA-compliant battery systems in Texas for Hylio's UAS platforms. This partnership ensures domestic manufacturing capability meeting federal procurement requirements and supports government customer acquisition.
• Mississippi State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic collaboration focused on drone innovation research, providing access to academic expertise in agricultural engineering and unmanned aerial systems for ongoing R&D and product development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• Skydio: Skydio is a US-based autonomous drone manufacturer focused on inspection, public safety, and defense, with growing interest in commercial/agricultural autonomy. It is comparable to Hylio in NDAA-aligned domestic manufacturing and autonomous flight stack, though its near-term focus is on inspection and security rather than crop spraying.
• Parrot Drones: Parrot's ANAFI series serves agricultural and inspection use cases (including the discontinued Anafi USA and agricultural partnerships). It is a broader drone incumbent with European roots that overlaps with Hylio on the precision agriculture and government/defense-adjacent end markets.

Direct peers

• XAG: XAG is a leading global manufacturer of agricultural drones and autonomous ground robots for spraying, spreading, and crop scouting. It competes head-to-head with Hylio in international ag-drone markets with comparable payload classes and precision application features.
• AgEagle Aerial Systems: AgEagle designs, manufactures, and distributes commercial-grade drones and aerial imaging solutions for agriculture and industrial use. Its fixed-wing and spray drone offerings overlap with Hylio's ag-spray and PHOTON scout drone positioning in the North American market.
• DJI Agras: DJI's Agras line is the dominant global agricultural spray drone platform (T-series, T50, T25) and the primary direct competitor to Hylio's ARES/ATLAS/PEGASUS drones, targeting the same commercial applicators, row-crop operators, and international markets with comparable payload and RTK capabilities.

Emerging players

• American Robotics: American Robotics develops autonomous, FAA-approved drone-in-a-box solutions primarily for industrial inspection and precision agriculture. It is comparable to Hylio around the autonomous-agriculture theme and the regulatory-first approach to commercial drone operations in the US.
• Sentera: Sentera provides aerial imagery, sensors, and analytics for precision agriculture, including drone-based stand counts, NDVI, and prescription maps that integrate with platforms like Climate FieldView. It overlaps with Hylio's PHOTON scouting workflows and AgroSol prescription map integration ecosystem.
• PrecisionHawk: PrecisionHawk offers drone-based data collection and analytics for agriculture, energy, and infrastructure, with FAA Part 107 waivers. It is comparable to Hylio in agricultural drone services and analytics, though it is more software/analytics-led than hardware-manufacturing focused.

Others

• DroneDeploy: DroneDeploy is a leading drone data platform for mapping, surveying, and crop scouting, and is already an Hylio integration partner for prescription maps and stand counts. It is comparable as an adjacent ecosystem enabler that sits alongside Hylio's AgroSol GCS in farm data workflows.

Regional players

• Kray Technologies: Kray Technologies is a Ukraine-based manufacturer of agricultural spray drones targeting Eastern European and CIS markets. It is comparable to Hylio as a regional ag-drone manufacturer competing for the same commercial applicator customer profile outside of the US.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Hylio_Inc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCu-89_fgIwsRlxTqpMc0hfw
• Facebookfacebook.com/HylioInc
• Instagraminstagram.com/hyl.io
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hylio

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hylio