How much does it cost to spray sorghum by drone in Illinois?

Drone spraying sorghum in Illinois typically runs about $10–$18 per acre (application only, product extra). Carrier volume, passes, field size, and product move the final number — compare operator quotes for an exact price.

What carrier volume and how many passes for sorghum?

Sorghum is usually treated at 2–3 GPA over 1 (sugarcane aphid / headworm). Sugarcane aphid and headworm control over tall stands — a single well-timed pass is typical.

Sorghum drone spraying cost in Illinois

Researched per-acre cost to spray sorghum by drone in Illinois, the agronomy that drives it, and operators who cover your area.

Quick answer: Drone spraying for sorghum in Illinois typically runs $10–$18 per acre (application only). Sugarcane aphid and headworm control over tall stands — a single well-timed pass is typical. Typical carrier volume is 2–3 GPA over 1 (sugarcane aphid / headworm).

State

Illinois

CropAcres

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

Estimated cost in Illinois

$1,600–$2,880

$10–$18/acre × 160 acres

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What’s driving this

Illinois base rate: $10–$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 2025.

Sources: Shaw Local (Aug 2025) — three Illinois spray-drone operators charge $12-$15/ac; one quotes $12/ac for fungicide to stay competitive with manned aerial; AgFly Illinois — in-state aerial/drone fungicide application rate card; Illinois farmdoc 2025 Machinery Cost Estimates: Field Operations (ground spraying cost reference; no separate aerial/drone line); AgDroneDirectory — Illinois page & Corn Belt $12-$17 row-crop band

What it takes to spray sorghum in Illinois

Sugarcane aphid and headworm control over tall stands — a single well-timed pass is typical.

Carrier volume: 2–3 GPA — higher volumes cost more per acre (more refills, fewer acres/hour).
Typical passes: 1 (sugarcane aphid / headworm).
Grown in Illinois: 4,639 harvestedacres (USDA Census of Agriculture 2022) — so there’s real, sprayable sorghum acreage for operators here.

How big is a typical sorghum field in Illinois?

The average Illinois sorghum operation works about 68 acres of sorghum (USDA Census of Agriculture 2022, 68 operations) — so at these rates a field that size runs about $680–$1,224 per application. That’s an average across whole operations; a single field is usually smaller. Sorghum field sizes & cost in Illinois →

Sources & confidence

Illinois estimate · medium confidence · data as of 2025 — Illinois farmdoc custom-rate publication does not break out aerial/drone application, so this is triangulated from multiple in-state operator quotes ($12-$15, one at $12 fungicide) plus the Corn Belt $12-$17 regional band. Operators explicitly price to match the Iowa-level competitive Corn Belt market, hence costIndex 1.00 (same as Iowa).

Compare drone operators serving Illinois and request free quotes for sorghum.

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Other crops in Illinois

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Sorghum drone spraying in Illinois: FAQs

How much does it cost to spray sorghum by drone in Illinois?: Drone spraying sorghum in Illinois typically runs about $10–$18 per acre (application only, product extra). Carrier volume, passes, field size, and product move the final number — compare operator quotes for an exact price.
What carrier volume and how many passes for sorghum?: Sorghum is usually treated at 2–3 GPA over 1 (sugarcane aphid / headworm). Sugarcane aphid and headworm control over tall stands — a single well-timed pass is typical.