24-Year-Old Builds Full Drone Business in Alabama | The DroneOn Show Episode 42

Episode 42 of the DroneOn Show, Mike talks with Trayton from Taft Drone Services in central Alabama. At just 24 years old and only two years out of Mississippi State (where he studied agriculture science), Trayton shares how he funded his first thermal drone (Mavic 3T) with money originally saved for an engagement ring. He started with deer surveys and recoveries, then transitioned into spray drones, beginning with a T-10 before upgrading to a T-40 and now running T-50s. Trayton covers the realities of operating in Alabama: small fields (15-20 acres average), tall pines, swamps, kudzu control, site prep for forestry replanting, aquatic weed management, and prescribed burning. He discusses charging strategies (per acre vs. per job), word-of-mouth growth, the grind of long days and overnight surveys, and how thermal work helps land spray jobs. A relatable, real look at building a young dual-purpose drone business in the South.