How much does drone spraying cost in Arkansas?

In Arkansas, drone spraying runs about $9–$16 per acre for row crops and $16–$30 per acre for orchards, vineyards, and specialty crops (application only, product extra), about 12% below the national median. Field size, carrier volume (gallons per acre), passes, and product all move the number — request quotes for an exact figure.

Why does drone spraying cost below in Arkansas?

Per-acre rates vary by state with regulatory load (permitting, buffer zones, applicator licensing), labor and fuel costs, field size and geometry, and crop mix. Arkansas's rate reflects those local factors versus the national median.

Does a restricted-use pesticide cost more to apply in Arkansas?

Usually a little. Restricted-use products require a certified applicator, extra recordkeeping and notification, and stricter buffers — a modest per-acre surcharge (often a couple of dollars an acre) on top of the base rate.

How does gallons per acre change the price?

Higher carrier volume (more gallons per acre) means more refills and fewer acres per hour, so per-acre cost rises with GPA. Low-volume row-crop jobs (~2 GPA) are cheapest; California and specialty orchard/vineyard work at 5–10 GPA costs more. This is where the technology has moved fastest, though — today's flagship tanks hold roughly 26 gallons, about five times the 2020 models, so drones now cover higher-GPA work far more efficiently than they used to.

Drone spraying cost in Arkansas

Researched per-acre rates for agricultural drone spraying in Arkansas — estimate your job, see the crop-by-crop breakdown, and compare operators.

Quick answer: Drone spraying in Arkansas typically runs $9–$16 per acre for row crops (application only), about 12% below the national median. Orchards, vineyards, and specialty crops run higher — about $16–$30 per acre. The final price depends on field size, gallons per acre, the number of passes, and whether a restricted-use product is applied.

State

Arkansas

CropAcres

Gallons per acre (carrier volume)Restricted-use pesticide (certified applicator + records)

Estimated cost in Arkansas

$1,440–$2,560

$9–$16/acre × 160 acres

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What’s driving this

Arkansas base rate: $9–$16/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: UADA 2025 Arkansas Crop Enterprise Budgets (custom aerial application $10/acre); UADA news: 2025 enterprise budgets now available; Ag Drone Directory 2026 pricing - Mississippi Delta tier $14-$18/acre (incl. AR)

Drone spraying cost by crop in Arkansas

Crop	Typical cost ($/acre)	Grown in AR (acres)
Soybeans	$9–$16	3,253,602
Rice	$9–$16	1,125,866
Corn	$9–$16	724,199
Cotton	$9–$16	611,764
Wheat	$9–$16	164,284
Peanuts	$9–$16	32,478
Sorghum	$9–$16	8,984
Pecans	$16–$30	7,467
Sweet Potatoes	$15–$29	6,370
Oats	$9–$15	5,627
Pasture & Rangeland	$8–$15	—

Cost is application only; product/chemical extra — estimates, so request quotes for exact pricing. Acreage is USDA Census of Agriculture 2022 (harvested acres, or bearing acres for tree/vine/berry crops).

What’s grown in Arkansas

The crops that cover the most ground in Arkansas, by acreage — every one is a candidate for aerial spraying. Share is of the state’s tracked-crop acreage in the 2022 USDA Census of Agriculture.

3.3M ac55%

1.1M ac19%

724K ac12%

612K ac10%

164K ac3%

32K ac<1%

9.0K ac<1%

7.5K ac<1%

Source: USDA NASS Census of Agriculture 2022 — acres harvested (field crops) and acres bearing (tree, vine & berry crops). Broad categories like pasture and mixed specialty crops aren’t charted here.

What drives the price in Arkansas

Per-acre rates move with the crop (dense orchard and vineyard canopies cost more than open row crops), the carrier volume (more gallons per acre means more refills and fewer acres per hour), the number of passes, field size and terrain, and whether a restricted-use pesticide is applied (which adds a certified-applicator and recordkeeping surcharge).Arkansas’s base rate also reflects local regulation, labor, and field geometry.

Sources & confidence

Arkansas estimate · high confidence · data as of 2026 — Row-crop application-only band anchored on the UADA 2025 enterprise-budget custom aerial figure of $10/acre (manned fixed-wing); Delta drone operators quote $14-$18, so typical set to $11 with high $16 to bridge manned and drone. Arkansas is a dense, mature aerial-application market (rice/soybean/cotton) with heavy manned-applicator competition suppressing rates ~5-10% below Iowa, hence costIndex 0.92. Specialty band reflects cotton defoliation and sweet-potato/pecan work; no significant vineyard culture, so lower-to-mid national specialty range.

45 drone-spraying operators serve Arkansas. Compare them and request free quotes.

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More on drone spraying cost

Arkansas field sizes Cost per acre (guide)Cost calculator Cost by state

Drone spraying cost in Arkansas: FAQs

How much does drone spraying cost in Arkansas?: In Arkansas, drone spraying runs about $9–$16 per acre for row crops and $16–$30 per acre for orchards, vineyards, and specialty crops (application only, product extra), about 12% below the national median. Field size, carrier volume (gallons per acre), passes, and product all move the number — request quotes for an exact figure.
Why does drone spraying cost below in Arkansas?: Per-acre rates vary by state with regulatory load (permitting, buffer zones, applicator licensing), labor and fuel costs, field size and geometry, and crop mix. Arkansas's rate reflects those local factors versus the national median.
Does a restricted-use pesticide cost more to apply in Arkansas?: Usually a little. Restricted-use products require a certified applicator, extra recordkeeping and notification, and stricter buffers — a modest per-acre surcharge (often a couple of dollars an acre) on top of the base rate.
How does gallons per acre change the price?: Higher carrier volume (more gallons per acre) means more refills and fewer acres per hour, so per-acre cost rises with GPA. Low-volume row-crop jobs (~2 GPA) are cheapest; California and specialty orchard/vineyard work at 5–10 GPA costs more. This is where the technology has moved fastest, though — today's flagship tanks hold roughly 26 gallons, about five times the 2020 models, so drones now cover higher-GPA work far more efficiently than they used to.