LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN)- Hylio, a Texas-based “agro-drone” company, has promised Nebraskan farmers a break from inflation with flying tractors.

CEO Arthur Erickson says “flying tractors” are the future of agriculture.

“Plenty of people are using these flying spray drones to do what they otherwise would have done with traditional ground-based equipment,” he said.

Erickson said the difference between tractors of the past and drone tractors is simple: cost.

“For example, a new high clearance sprayer might run you half a million these days,” he said. “Whereas three or four of our drones, which just puts you out, maybe $100,000 to $120,000.”

He adds Nebraskan farmers are looking to save more and work smarter in crop production.

“So Nebraska, it’s a bit of a different story,” Erickson said. “People are looking for bigger drones, more efficient drones that can essentially replace one to one a ground rig or an airplane on a nice big, relatively safe field.”

Erickson believes the most common problem drones can solve is making the battle against inflation a fair fight.

“The value proposition is a little different, right? It needs to be how many drones can I fit into this field, and how many drones would I need in order to match or exceed the efficiency of my traditional methods,” he said.

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