Drone spraying cost by state & crop

Drone-spraying rates vary a lot by state — California runs well above the Corn Belt. These per-acre estimates are researched from land-grant extension custom-rate surveys and operator pricing. Estimate your job below, then open your state for crop-by-crop detail.

StateCropAcres

Gallons per acre (carrier volume)Applications (passes)

Restricted-use pesticide (certified applicator + records)

Estimated cost in Iowa

$1,280–$2,880

$8–$18/acre × 160 acres

Get real quotes in Iowa

What’s driving this

Iowa base rate: $8–$18/acre (row crop)
Gallons per acre: 2 GPA → ×1.00

high confidence

Sources: Iowa State 2026 Farm Custom Rate Survey (FM1698) — first university benchmark for spray drones, $12.50 avg / $12.00 median, 47 operator responses; rates below $10 rare and only on 500+ ac contiguous fields; Iowa State University Extension Store — 2026 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey (FM1698) publication; AgDroneDirectory 2026 Rates Guide — Corn Belt row-crop $12-$17; specialty/orchard/vineyard $18-$40

Estimate only — actual rates vary by field size, terrain, and product. Application only; product/chemical extra. Data as of 2026.

Drone spraying cost by state

Row-crop application, $/acre. Tap a state for crop-by-crop rates and a scoped calculator.

Alabama$10–$24/ac Arizona$10–$25/ac Arkansas$9–$16/ac California$14–$22/ac Colorado$8–$18/ac Connecticut$18–$32/ac Delaware$10–$22/ac Florida$13–$28/ac Georgia$10–$22/ac Idaho$12–$20/ac Illinois$10–$18/ac Indiana$9–$20/ac Iowa$8–$18/ac Kansas$8.5–$16/ac Kentucky$9–$16/ac Louisiana$9–$17/ac Maine$15–$28/ac Maryland$10–$24/ac Massachusetts$17–$31/ac Michigan$11–$21/ac Minnesota$10–$20/ac Mississippi$8–$16/ac Missouri$11–$19/ac Nebraska$9–$18/ac Nevada$12–$23/ac New Hampshire$17–$31/ac New Jersey$12–$27/ac New Mexico$9–$23/ac New York$12–$24/ac North Carolina$11–$26/ac North Dakota$6–$18/ac Ohio$7–$20/ac Oklahoma$8–$16/ac Oregon$13–$20/ac Pennsylvania$12–$25/ac Rhode Island$18–$34/ac South Carolina$11–$25/ac South Dakota$8–$18/ac Tennessee$9–$17/ac Texas$8–$21/ac Utah$12–$22/ac Vermont$16–$30/ac Virginia$11–$27/ac Washington$14–$22/ac West Virginia$12–$28/ac Wisconsin$11–$22/ac