How much does it cost to spray tobacco by drone in Tennessee?

Drone spraying tobacco in Tennessee typically runs about $17–$32 per acre (application only, product extra). Carrier volume, passes, field size, and product move the final number — compare operator quotes for an exact price.

Tobacco drone spraying cost in Tennessee

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

Quick answer: Drone spraying for tobacco in Tennessee typically runs $17–$32 per acre (application only). A high-value crop with repeated insecticide and sucker-control passes; precise, low-drift application protects tightly spaced, hand-tended plants. Typical carrier volume is 3–5 GPA over Multiple (sucker control + insecticide).

State

Tennessee

CropAcres

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

Estimated cost in Tennessee

$2,678–$4,910

$17–$31/acre × 160 acres

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What’s driving this

Tennessee base rate: $18–$33/acre (specialty)
Crop: ×0.93
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 2024.

Sources: UT Extension 2024 Field Crop Budgets D33 (self-propelled boom sprayer ~$11.13/acre custom spray operation); UT Extension Ag & Resource Economics budgets index; University of Kentucky 2024 Custom Machinery Rates (Aerial Application $9.50-$11.50-$14.50/acre) - regional analog

What it takes to spray tobacco in Tennessee

A high-value crop with repeated insecticide and sucker-control passes; precise, low-drift application protects tightly spaced, hand-tended plants.

Carrier volume: 3–5 GPA — higher volumes cost more per acre (more refills, fewer acres/hour).
Typical passes: Multiple (sucker control + insecticide).
Grown in Tennessee: 12,377 harvestedacres (USDA Census of Agriculture 2022) — so there’s real, sprayable tobacco acreage for operators here.

Sources & confidence

Tennessee estimate · medium confidence · data as of 2024 — UT 2024 field-crop budgets itemize a self-propelled boom-sprayer custom spray operation at ~$11.13/acre but no standalone aerial line, so the aerial/drone band is triangulated: UT ground-spray $11.13 plus the neighboring Kentucky 2024 extension aerial figure ($9.50-$11.50-$14.50) as a regional analog. West-Tennessee row-crop tracks the Delta but with thinner manned-aerial coverage and more rolling terrain, putting it at Iowa parity (costIndex 1.00). Typical $12, high $17. Specialty band slightly above Delta states given diversified tree-fruit/nursery and tobacco work.

2 Tennessee operators treat tobacco. Request free quotes.

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Other crops in Tennessee

Soybeans Corn Wheat Cotton Alfalfa & Hay Sorghum Specialty Crops Pasture & Rangeland All Tennessee costs

Tobacco drone spraying in Tennessee: FAQs

How much does it cost to spray tobacco by drone in Tennessee?: Drone spraying tobacco in Tennessee typically runs about $17–$32 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 tobacco?: Tobacco is usually treated at 3–5 GPA over Multiple (sucker control + insecticide). A high-value crop with repeated insecticide and sucker-control passes; precise, low-drift application protects tightly spaced, hand-tended plants.