Exedy Drones has opened reservations for its Ayre CX agricultural spray drone, adding another U.S.-based entrant to a market facing significant changes after the Federal Communications Commission’s decision affecting sales of new foreign-made drone models and critical components.
The Michigan-based company is accepting $1,000 reservations for the first 500 aircraft. Exedy is targeting initial deliveries for spring 2027, although the company has said the aircraft must pass several development and validation milestones before customers convert their reservations into purchase deposits.
“A reservation holds a numbered place in the production line through one of our authorized dealers,” Exedy Drones said.
Scott Binder, Exedy’s vice president of engineering, operations, and technology, told AgFunderNews that $750 of the reservation payment is refundable until a customer converts it into a purchase deposit. The company is not committing to a fixed delivery date. Instead, it plans to publish progress as the Ayre CX advances through field validation, spray validation and a production build.
A staged path to production
The approach gives prospective operators a defined place in the production queue while leaving the final purchase decision until later in the development process. Binder said customers would be able to review the results of the validation work before converting their reservations.
Exedy describes the Ayre CX as a U.S.-assembled aircraft that uses both locally and globally sourced components. Its software is coded in the United States, and the company said data is stored on U.S. servers. Assembly is planned for a production line in Southeast Michigan.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Aircraft | Ayre CX |
| Tank capacity | 50 liters |
| Reservation | $1,000 for the first 500 aircraft |
| Refundable amount | $750 until conversion to a purchase deposit |
| Assembly | Southeast Michigan |
| Initial delivery target | Spring 2027 |
Dealer network to expand with production
The company plans to begin with approximately 20 dealer groups across roughly 30 locations. Exedy said that network will expand alongside production rather than being established ahead of the aircraft’s manufacturing progress.
“We think US agriculture needs a spray drone that’s engineered, built and supported here,” Binder said.
Exedy Globalparts Corporation owns Exedy Drones. The parent company is part of EXEDY Corp, a Japanese manufacturer of automotive drivetrain components. The corporate connection gives the new drone business an industrial parent, while the Ayre CX program is being positioned around U.S. assembly, domestic software development and U.S.-based data handling.
A market adjusting to new restrictions
The reservation launch comes as agricultural-drone manufacturers, dealers, operators and farmers reassess supply chains in the United States. The FCC’s decision, announced in December 2025, applies to new models of foreign-made drones and critical components, according to AgFunderNews. The change has encouraged companies to pursue U.S. drone capabilities as agricultural operators continue to adopt aircraft for spraying work.
Exedy’s plan does not represent a fully domestic supply chain: the Ayre CX uses components sourced both locally and internationally. Its stated milestones also mean that reservations are not yet deliveries, and the spring 2027 date remains a company target rather than a completed production commitment.
- Exedy is accepting reservations for the first 500 Ayre CX spray drones.
- The aircraft has a 50-liter tank and is planned for assembly in Southeast Michigan.
- Customers can receive $750 back until they convert the reservation into a purchase deposit.
