Rice drone spraying cost in Mississippi
Researched per-acre cost to spray rice by drone in Mississippi, the agronomy that drives it, and operators who cover your area.
Estimated cost in Mississippi
$1,280–$2,560
$8–$16/acre × 160 acres
What’s driving this
- Mississippi base rate
- $8–$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: MSU Extension - Custom Rates for Mississippi Agricultural Practices (2024 survey, Table 4 aerial $7.00-$9.50-$11.50/acre); Ag Drone Directory 2026 pricing - Mississippi Delta tier $14-$18/acre; MSU Extension Spray Drones overview
What it takes to spray rice in Mississippi
Flooded paddies are impassable to ground rigs, so drones are a natural fit; higher carrier volumes are common for coverage.
- Carrier volume: 3–5 GPA — higher volumes cost more per acre (more refills, fewer acres/hour).
- Typical passes: 1–2 (fungicide/herbicide over flooded paddies).
- Grown in Mississippi: 88,106 harvestedacres (USDA Census of Agriculture 2022) — so there’s real, sprayable rice acreage for operators here.
How big is a typical rice field in Mississippi?
The average Mississippi rice operation works about 469 acres of rice (USDA Census of Agriculture 2022, 188 operations) — so at these rates a field that size runs about $3,752–$7,504 per application. That’s an average across whole operations; a single field is usually smaller. Rice field sizes & cost in Mississippi →
Sources & confidence
Mississippi estimate · high confidence · data as of 2026 — Strongest anchor in the region: MSU Extension 2024 custom-rate survey, Table 4 (Spray applications), reports manned AERIAL at $7.00 low / ~$7.50-$9.50 avg / $11.50 high per acre. Delta drone operators quote $14-$18. Row-crop typical $11 (blending manned survey average with emerging drone rates), high $16. Mississippi has the most intense manned-aerial competition of the Delta states, pulling cost ~10% below Iowa (costIndex 0.90). Specialty band = cotton defoliation, sweet potato, pecan; lower-to-mid national range, no vineyard culture.
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Other crops in Mississippi
Rice drone spraying in Mississippi: FAQs
- How much does it cost to spray rice by drone in Mississippi?
- Drone spraying rice in Mississippi typically runs about $8–$16 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 rice?
- Rice is usually treated at 3–5 GPA over 1–2 (fungicide/herbicide over flooded paddies). Flooded paddies are impassable to ground rigs, so drones are a natural fit; higher carrier volumes are common for coverage.