How much does it cost to spray soybeans by drone in Missouri?

Drone spraying soybeans in Missouri typically runs about $11–$19 per acre (application only, product extra). Carrier volume, passes, field size, and product move the final number — compare operator quotes for an exact price.

Soybeans drone spraying cost in Missouri

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

Quick answer: Drone spraying for soybeans in Missouri typically runs $11–$19 per acre (application only). White mold and frogeye fungicide plus aphid control at R3; aerial cover-crop seeding into standing beans is increasingly common. Typical carrier volume is 2–3 GPA over 1–2 (R3 fungicide/insecticide).

State

Missouri

CropAcres

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

Estimated cost in Missouri

$1,760–$3,040

$11–$19/acre × 160 acres

Get real quotes in Missouri

What’s driving this

Missouri base rate: $11–$19/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: MU Extension G1274 — Economics of Drone Ownership for Agricultural Spray Applications: typical custom-hire drone rate ~$16/ac (modeled owner cost $12.27/ac, custom-operator cost $7.39/ac); MU Extension G1274 full PDF; AgDroneDirectory — Mississippi Delta band $14-$18/ac (Missouri Bootheel grouped here; strong manned aerial-applicator competition)

What it takes to spray soybeans in Missouri

White mold and frogeye fungicide plus aphid control at R3; aerial cover-crop seeding into standing beans is increasingly common.

Carrier volume: 2–3 GPA — higher volumes cost more per acre (more refills, fewer acres/hour).
Typical passes: 1–2 (R3 fungicide/insecticide).
Grown in Missouri: 5,744,995 harvestedacres (USDA Census of Agriculture 2022) — so there’s real, sprayable soybeans acreage for operators here.

How big is a typical soybeans field in Missouri?

The average Missouri soybeans operation works about 355 acres of soybeans (USDA Census of Agriculture 2022, 16,167 operations) — so at these rates a field that size runs about $3,905–$6,745 per application. That’s an average across whole operations; a single field is usually smaller. Soybeans field sizes & cost in Missouri →

Sources & confidence

Missouri estimate · medium confidence · data as of 2025 — MU G1274 cites a typical custom-hire drone rate of ~$16/ac; AgDroneDirectory places the Missouri/Delta band at $14-$18. Typical set to $15.50 (midpoint of the MU $16 figure and the Delta band), low/high $11-$19. costIndex 1.18 = $15.50 / Iowa $12.50; Missouri prices above the flat Corn Belt core due to strong manned aerial-applicator competition and Delta-market pricing in the south/Bootheel.

23 Missouri operators treat soybeans, quoting roughly $14–$15/acre. Request free quotes.

Get quotes in Missouri

Other crops in Missouri

Corn Wheat Cotton Alfalfa & Hay Rice Sorghum Peanuts Potatoes Oats Pecans Barley All Missouri costs Soybeans field size Soybeans operators

Soybeans drone spraying in Missouri: FAQs

How much does it cost to spray soybeans by drone in Missouri?: Drone spraying soybeans in Missouri typically runs about $11–$19 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 soybeans?: Soybeans is usually treated at 2–3 GPA over 1–2 (R3 fungicide/insecticide). White mold and frogeye fungicide plus aphid control at R3; aerial cover-crop seeding into standing beans is increasingly common.