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.
Estimated cost in Iowa
$1,280–$2,880
$8–$18/acre × 160 acres
What’s driving this
- Iowa base rate
- $8–$18/acre (row crop)
- Gallons per acre
- 2 GPA → ×1.00
Application only — product & chemical extra.
Sources & how this is estimated
Estimate only — actual rates vary by field size, terrain, and product. Application only; product/chemical extra. Data as of 2026.
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
Not sure of your field size? Draw your field on a satellite map to measure its acreage — then get this estimate automatically.
Drone spraying cost by state
Row-crop application, $/acre. Tap a state for crop-by-crop rates and a scoped calculator.