Ceres Air “Black Betty” Drone: What We Learned

There’s been a lot of buzz across agricultural aviation and spray drone circles about the Ceres Air project and the recent launch event hosted in Vermont. Following the event, AcuSpray has received a wave of questions from operators and growers about the platform itself, the early testing process, and what this drone might mean for real world operations.

This post shares a practical, field focused summary of what stood out most from the launch, how the program is structured, and where a high capacity platform like this realistically fits.

Watch the Video

The Super User Program: Real Operators, Real Feedback

Ceres Air is rolling out a Super User program designed to put the drone into the hands of a small number of experienced operators across the country before broader release.

The intent is straightforward:

• Provide early access to a handful of qualified applicators
• Gather real world operational feedback
• Stress test the platform across very different environments
• Identify refinements needed before a full market launch
  

Notably, the program is independent. There are no marketing obligations attached. Participants are expected to run the platform in actual operations and report what works, what doesn’t, and what needs dialing in.

AcuSpray has been invited to join this group and will be receiving a unit soon to begin evaluation in Michigan conditions.

Event Takeaways: Organized, Transparent, and Clearly a Serious Launch

From an execution standpoint, the Vermont launch was well run. The team hosting the event emphasized transparency, including:

• What components are American made today
• What portions of the supply chain are still transitioning
• What future manufacturing milestones look like
• Where investment is being placed next
  

The overall impression was that Ceres Air is approaching this launch as a long term manufacturing and deployment effort. Not a short term demo project.

ImageTek Partnership: Manufacturing Infrastructure Is Scaling

A key part of the event was showcasing the partnership with ImageTek, a contract electronics manufacturing firm primarily known for:

• PCB assembly
• Wiring harness production
• Electronics work in multiple industrial sectors
  

ImageTek is now expanding into drone assembly and manufacturing support for Ceres Air. The facility tour made it clear that investment is already happening at the manufacturing level, with infrastructure being built for scale. Not just prototype assembly.

First Look at the Platform: Built for Throughput, Not Versatility

The most immediate and unavoidable impression of the Ceres Air platform is its size.

Even knowing it’s a 40 gallon class drone, seeing it in person makes the scale real:

• The aircraft footprint is massive
• Motors and ESCs are visibly upsized
• The build is centered around high payload and high thrust
  

This is not a general purpose platform designed for every field and every workflow. It is purpose built for large scale throughput, aimed at operators working in:

• Wide open row crop environments
• Long straight field runs
• Clean borders and minimal obstacles
• Workflows where payload volume and speed drive ROI
  

It also has potential for high GPA specialty use cases, but the core of the design is large acre efficiency.

Expected Acres Per Day: Big Potential, Real Variables

Ceres Air has intentionally not published aggressive acreage claims yet, instead asking Super Users to validate productivity in real conditions.

Early realistic estimates suggest that in well suited environments, daily acreage could be extremely high. In Southeast Michigan field layouts, a carefully planned workflow could reasonably target:

~550–600 acres per day

That’s a significant productivity jump from typical mid-size spray drones. However actual performance will depend heavily on:

• Field geometry
• Terrain and obstacles
• Logistical efficiency
• Turnaround time and staging
  

High capacity drones magnify the importance of good planning.

The Hidden Cost Factor: Infrastructure Matters

The aircraft price point is only part of the investment equation.

Even if the drone itself remains competitively priced, a full scale operation using this platform requires substantial supporting infrastructure, including:

• 30–40 kW diesel generator capacity
• A purpose built trailer for the aircraft, batteries, and gear
• Battery handling and charging logistics for high tempo flying
• Enough water/product capacity to support hundreds of acres daily
• A workflow built around speed, volume, and staging
  

In short:
this is not a plug and play setup.
It’s an integrated system investment.

For operators whose field size and logistics align with this class of drone, ROI still looks promising, but the infrastructure requirement should be understood upfront.

Why Mid-Size Platforms Still Matter

One of the most important industry takeaways from this launch is that bigger doesn’t automatically mean better.

Most operators today still spend the majority of their time in:

• 10–40 acre fields
• Irregular shapes
• Complex borders or obstructions
• Mixed terrain environments
  

Those conditions continue to favor mid size platforms that balance:

• maneuverability
• efficiency
• logistical simplicity
• wide environmental compatibility
  

High capacity drones are powerful tools, but they solve a specific set of problems. Mid size drones remain the everyday workhorses for the bulk of U.S. operations.

A Helpful Framework: Capacity Based Drone Classes

As large platforms enter the market, it may help the industry to think in terms of capacity classes, rather than assuming the biggest drone is always the best fit.

A simple way to frame it might be:

• Class I: under 10 Gallons
  specialty/tight field platforms
• Class II: ~10-20 Gallons
  mid size daily drivers
• Class III: high capacity platforms (20+ Gallons)
  specialist throughput machines for large acre operations
  

The exact thresholds could evolve over time, but the concept helps operators match tool to workflow instead of chasing specs.

What’s Next: AcuSpray Field Testing and Deep Dive

AcuSpray will be receiving a Ceres Air unit soon and will begin evaluation immediately. Once the platform arrives, AcuSpray will publish:

• a full walk around
• bench inspection and build quality review
• component breakdown
• early operational impressions
• field testing results in Michigan conditions
  

The goal is the same as always: provide clear, honest, practical insight for operators deciding what fits their operation.

Bottom Line

Ceres Air appears to be building a serious high capacity platform backed by real manufacturing momentum. The drone is designed for large scale throughput operations and offers major productivity upside in the right environments.

At the same time, mid size drones remain the best fit for the majority of fields most operators fly today. The future isn’t one “best drone”, it’s the right class of drone for the right workflow.

More to come as field testing begins.