Kelly Hills

What Kelly Hills does

Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems, LLC is a privately-held Kansas-based agricultural autonomy operator founded in 2024 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Heinen Brothers Agra Services. The company operates a UAS test range spanning 49,000 square miles of FAA-approved airspace across four states and serves as the exclusive first U.S. distributor for Pyka's Pelican 2 autonomous electric crop protection aircraft. Its product portfolio centers on autonomous aerial and ground systems for agricultural applications — crop protection, aerial application, field scouting, and precision agriculture — combined with field-ready in-field sensors, multi-spectral aerial mapping, and farm management analytics. The company monetizes through a tiered membership model (Bronze, Silver, Gold) for test range and innovation-ecosystem access, hardware distribution of Pyka aircraft, the SpraySense AI-powered crop protection software platform, and professional/consulting services for cohort partners.

The firm's go-to-market is anchored on annual Field Days (121 companies in 2024, 160 in 2025) that serve as both demonstration venues and customer acquisition channels. The Forge innovation hub aggregates 15+ agtech companies (Taranis, Precision AI, Yamaha, Hylio, Sabanto, Scanit, Drop Flight, Pyka, and others) for testing and commercialization. Strategic regulatory relationships with the FAA, Kansas Department of Transportation, and USDA enable BVLOS operations that competitors lack — a capability formalized through the August 2025 RAMP (Rural Autonomous Mobility Platform) launch for autonomous tractor operations on public roads. Academic partnerships with Kansas State University (Institute for Digital Agriculture & Advanced Analytics) and Mississippi State University (Agricultural Autonomy Institute) underpin ongoing research collaborations. In February 2026, the State of Kansas awarded a $3 million grant to advance BVLOS agricultural UAS operations.

Kelly Hills serves a heterogeneous customer base — farmers and ranchers, agricultural retailers, agtech innovators, agronomists, and government/research entities — through direct enterprise sales, distributor partnerships, and structured membership access. The 1-10 employee headcount and absence of disclosed revenue position the firm as an early-stage operating company whose commercial trajectory remains to be validated through first hardware shipments and recurring membership economics.

Name

Kelly Hills

Legal name

Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems, LLC

Website

https://kellyhills.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2024

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems is a Kansas-based agricultural autonomy operator and the first U.S. distributor of Pyka Pelican 2 autonomous electric crop protection aircraft, serving farmers, ag retailers, and agtech companies through test-range access, an AI crop-protection platform (SpraySense), and an agtech innovation cohort (The Forge).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Drone Services

NAICS

Farm Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333111)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)

akta.pro primary industry

Drone/UAS Application Services (Spraying, Spreading, Seeding) (AFACAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aerial Application Drones & UAS Spray Systems (AFAAADAB), Robotics & Autonomous Field Operations (Weeding, Spraying, Harvest Assist, Autonomous Tractors) (AFAGALAJ), Aerial Surveying & Crop Scouting (Imaging, Mapping, Stand Counts) (AFACAIAJ), Agricultural UAV/UGV Autonomy Platforms (Navigation, mission planning, fleet autonomy) (AFAAAGAF)

Keywords

• Agricultural drones
• Precision agriculture
• Crop protection UAVs
• Agricultural autonomy
• Unmanned aerial systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Seneca

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Autonomous Aircraft Sales and Distribution: Kelly Hills serves as the first U.S. distributor for Pyka Pelican 2 autonomous electric crop protection aircraft, selling directly to agricultural operations and commercial applicators.
2. Technology Platform Services: SpraySense AI-powered crop protection platform licensed or subscription-based for drone application services.
3. Test Range and Membership Services: UAS test range services with tiered membership programs (Bronze, Silver, Gold) providing access to facilities, event priority, plot allocations, and commercial application pathways.
4. Innovation and Consulting Services: Program management and consulting services for Silver and Gold tier members, including expanded land allocations and market access.
5. Forge Cohort Program: Agtech companies join The Forge cohort for testing, validation, and commercialization support through the membership program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems provides autonomous unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and AI-powered technology for precision agriculture. The company distributes Pyka Pelican 2 autonomous crop protection aircraft, operates an FAA-approved test range spanning 49,000 square miles across four states, and runs The Forge innovation hub that validates agricultural technology through real-world field trials. It also offers the SpraySense AI-powered crop protection platform and tiered membership programs (Bronze, Silver, Gold) that provide structured pathways from innovation to commercialization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SpraySense: AI-powered crop protection tech-stack curated for various crops in multiple growing regions for drone application methods.
• The Forge
• RAMP

Products and services

• Pyka Pelican 2

Quantifiable outcome

• Lower direct operating costs than other aerial application solutions
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, cohort and minor.

• Kansas State University (ID3A)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 January 2026Partnership with Institute for Digital Agriculture & Advanced Analytics (ID3A) to bring cutting-edge drone technology to farmers. Focused on accelerating agricultural technology adoption through research collaboration.
• Agricultural Autonomy Institute at Mississippi State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 February 2025Strategic partnership announced February 6, 2025 for advancing AI and autonomy in agricultural drone applications. Includes collaboration on research and technology development for autonomous crop protection.
• Heinen Brothers Agra ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company that established Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems in 2024. Premier aerial application and ag retail business with experience across the western US. Provides 50+ years of agricultural expertise and operational infrastructure including headquarters at Kelly, KS.
• FAAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegulatory partnership enabling safe drone operations and expanded BVLOS use in agriculture. Provides regulatory expertise and operational approvals for Kelly Hills test range activities.
• Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState partnership promoting drone integration in transportation and agriculture, supporting rural innovation through UAS technology. Enables BVLOS operations and state-level regulatory coordination.
• University of Alaska Fairbanks (ACUASI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal leader in research and testing of drone systems for real-world applications including aerial spraying and environmental monitoring. Collaboration on safety and regulatory standards.
• PYKAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFirst U.S. distributor for Pyka Pelican 2 autonomous electric crop protection aircraft. Kelly Hills distributes autonomous aircraft to agricultural operations across the US market.
• AinsteinmajorTechnology or IntegrationRadar altimeters powering innovation at Kelly Hills Field Day. Provides sensor technology for autonomous flight operations and precision agriculture applications.
• Drop FlightcohortStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Forge Cohort member providing advanced all-in-one solution for spray droplet analysis and aerial swath measurement.
• Scanit TechnologiescohortStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Forge Cohort member specializing in early pest detection through advanced sensor traps and data modeling.
• YamahacohortTechnology or Integration2025 Forge Cohort member providing proven aerial platforms with scalable ag mission control.
• TaraniscohortTechnology or Integration2025 Forge Cohort member providing ultra-high-res aerial crop scouting and AI pest detection.
• Precision AIcohortTechnology or Integration2025 Forge Cohort member providing AI-powered drone spraying with plant-level precision.
• Deep ForestrycohortStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Forge Cohort member developing autonomous forest drones for survey, analysis, and optimization with AI.
• DMR DronescohortTechnology or Integration2025 Forge Cohort member providing precision industrial drones developed from American mobility innovation in Detroit.
• SiFlycohortTechnology or Integration2025 Forge Cohort member developing helicopter performance at drone economics.
• HyliocohortTechnology or Integration2025 Forge Cohort member providing precision crop care autonomous UAS.
• SabantocohortTechnology or Integration2025 Forge Cohort member providing cutting-edge tech that transforms existing tractors to operate autonomously.
• USDA ARSmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConducts cutting-edge research to advance precision agriculture including integration of drone technologies for crop monitoring and aerial application. 2024 Field Day presenter.
• Surepoint AgmajorTechnology or IntegrationDelivers innovative application systems and precision control solutions ideal for enhancing efficiency of drone-based aerial spraying. 2024 Field Day presenter.
• AUVSImajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdvocates for growth of drone technologies including use in aerial application and precision agriculture. Industry association with significant reach.
• EGE BiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides eco-friendly crop protection products aligning with drone-enabled precision spraying for sustainable farming.
• Mississippi State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in agricultural autonomy research and education, collaborating on AI and autonomy advancements for drone technology in agriculture.
• Kansas State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand-grant university partner providing research collaboration and talent pipeline for agricultural technology innovation.
• Wichita State University / NIARminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Institute for Aviation Research partnership providing aviation technology expertise and testing capabilities.
• Commercial Drone AllianceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry alliance championing U.S. leadership in global commercial drone ecosystem, advocating for favorable regulatory environment.
• RPAAAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNew Heights in Aerial Application Training, Certification, and Networking for Spray Drone Pilots across industries.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AgEagle Aerial Systems: Provider of drone-based aerial imagery and analytics solutions for agriculture, including fixed-wing eBee platforms. Directly comparable as a focused ag-drone solutions company serving growers and agribusinesses with similar aerial data and application offerings.
• Taranis: Provider of ultra-high-resolution aerial crop scouting and AI-powered pest detection. A 2025 Forge cohort member and direct peer offering complementary drone-based imagery and decision-support capabilities for the same farmer and ag-retailer customer base.
• Precision AI: Developer of AI-powered drone spraying with plant-level precision for crop protection. A 2025 Forge cohort member and direct peer competing in the same autonomous precision spraying category Kelly Hills addresses through SpraySense and Pyka aircraft.
• Pyka: Manufacturer of the Pelican autonomous electric crop protection aircraft that Kelly Hills distributes as its first U.S. channel partner. Directly comparable on the core autonomous aerial application product, though Kelly Hills operates as the U.S. sales/distribution arm rather than as a manufacturer.
• DroneDeploy: Drone-based aerial mapping and analytics platform with strong adoption in agriculture for scouting, NDVI, and farm management. Comparable to Kelly Hills' The Forge data and analytics layer, addressing the same grower and agronomist customers.
• Hylio: Texas-based developer of precision crop-care autonomous UAS for spraying and seeding. A 2025 Forge cohort member at Kelly Hills and a direct peer in agricultural drone-based crop protection, targeting overlapping grower customers with similar autonomous-spray technology.
• Sabanto: Provider of autonomous tractor retrofits enabling driverless field operations. A 2025 Forge cohort member and the most direct peer to Kelly Hills' RAMP program, addressing autonomous ground operations in agriculture.

Broad incumbents

• DJI Agriculture: Dominant global supplier of agricultural drones (Agras series) for spraying, seeding, and mapping. A broad incumbent in the same precision aerial application space and the most consequential competitive threat on the hardware side.
• Trimble Agriculture: Broad incumbent in precision agriculture technology offering guidance, application control, and farm management software. Relevant peer as an established player serving the same grower, retailer, and agronomist segments Kelly Hills targets with SpraySense and The Forge ecosystem.
• XAG: Global agricultural drone manufacturer with large-scale aerial spraying, seeding, and crop protection platforms. A broader incumbent serving the same precision agriculture market Kelly Hills targets, with significant manufacturing scale Kelly Hills does not have.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61579782753587&name=InviteNotifPermalinkUtils&_rdr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/khus-us

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Kelly Hills