Drone spraying cost in South Dakota
Researched per-acre rates for agricultural drone spraying in South Dakota — estimate your job, see the crop-by-crop breakdown, and compare operators.
Estimated cost in South Dakota
$1,280–$2,880
$8–$18/acre × 160 acres
What’s driving this
- South Dakota 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: agdronedirectory — Drone Spraying in South Dakota (row-crop $12-$16 typical, broader $12-$18; eastern SD competitive with Iowa, western SD wheat slightly lower; Great Plains Drone Co. $12-$16/ac, 40-ac min); SDSU Extension — Custom Rates Survey (2026 collection in progress; in-state survey instrument); NDSU 2024 Custom Rates — By Aircraft (regional analog for western/wheat SD acreage); Iowa State 2026 Farm Custom Rate Survey (anchor for eastern SD Corn Belt)
Drone spraying cost by crop in South Dakota
| Crop | Typical cost ($/acre) | Grown in SD (acres) |
|---|---|---|
| Soybeans | $8–$18 | 4,858,553 |
| Corn | $8–$18 | 4,803,202 |
| Alfalfa & Hay | $8–$18 | 1,749,234 |
| Wheat | $8–$18 | 1,432,701 |
| Sunflowers | $8–$18 | 589,221 |
| Sorghum | $8–$18 | 191,216 |
| Oats | $8–$17 | 86,114 |
| Millet | $7–$17 | 38,587 |
| Field Peas | $8–$17 | 16,084 |
| Barley | $8–$18 | 7,444 |
| Chickpeas | $8–$17 | 5,305 |
| Flax | $8–$17 | 4,146 |
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 South Dakota
The crops that cover the most ground in South Dakota, 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.
Source: USDA NASS Census of Agriculture 2022 — acres harvested. Broad categories like pasture and mixed specialty crops aren’t charted here.
What drives the price in South Dakota
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).South Dakota’s base rate also reflects local regulation, labor, and field geometry.
Sources & confidence
South Dakota estimate · medium confidence · data as of 2026 — SDSU's Custom Rates Survey was still being COLLECTED in 2026, so this blends two analogs reflecting SD's split: eastern SD (corn/soybean) is 'competitive with Iowa' (anchor $12-$18), western SD (large wheat, manned aerial) tracks lower NDSU aircraft averages. Operator data (Great Plains Drone Co. $12-$16) corroborate the eastern band. Typical $13, low $8 (western wheat), high $18 (eastern fungicide). costIndex 0.98 — just below Iowa. Specialty band derived from national orchard range, pulled slightly low. Medium confidence: two analogs plus operator cards, no published in-state aerial survey number yet.
- agdronedirectory — Drone Spraying in South Dakota (row-crop $12-$16 typical, broader $12-$18; eastern SD competitive with Iowa, western SD wheat slightly lower; Great Plains Drone Co. $12-$16/ac, 40-ac min)
- SDSU Extension — Custom Rates Survey (2026 collection in progress; in-state survey instrument)
- NDSU 2024 Custom Rates — By Aircraft (regional analog for western/wheat SD acreage)
- Iowa State 2026 Farm Custom Rate Survey (anchor for eastern SD Corn Belt)
43 drone-spraying operators serve South Dakota, quoting roughly $14–$14/acre. Compare them and request free quotes.
Get quotes in South DakotaMore on drone spraying cost
Drone spraying cost in South Dakota: FAQs
- How much does drone spraying cost in South Dakota?
- In South Dakota, drone spraying runs about $8–$18 per acre for row crops and $17–$31 per acre for orchards, vineyards, and specialty crops (application only, product extra). 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 what it does in South Dakota?
- 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. South Dakota's rate reflects those local factors versus the national median.
- Does a restricted-use pesticide cost more to apply in South Dakota?
- 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.