Drone spraying cost in Texas
Researched per-acre rates for agricultural drone spraying in Texas — estimate your job, see the crop-by-crop breakdown, and compare operators.
Estimated cost in Texas
$1,280–$3,360
$8–$21/acre × 160 acres
What’s driving this
- Texas base rate
- $8–$21/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: 2026 Texas Agricultural Custom Rates Survey (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension) - Flat Rate Aerial Application of insecticides/fungicides state avg $10.46, herbicides $12.64, growth regulators/defoliants $10.07; range $7-$21 (West TX herbicide avg $21.50); Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Custom Rate Survey landing page (survey archive, regional methodology - North/South/East/West); Kingdom Crop Spraying (Texas-based drone operator) - approx $15/acre drone spray application; American Spray Drone Coalition 2025 U.S. Spray Drone Industry Survey - national avg $13/acre (down from $21 in 2024)
Drone spraying cost by crop in Texas
| Crop | Typical cost ($/acre) | Grown in TX (acres) |
|---|---|---|
| Cotton | $8–$21 | 2,337,631 |
| Wheat | $8–$21 | 1,749,339 |
| Corn | $8–$21 | 1,680,377 |
| Sorghum | $8–$21 | 994,977 |
| Rice | $8–$21 | 193,438 |
| Pecans | $18–$35 | 124,685 |
| Peanuts | $8–$21 | 118,260 |
| Alfalfa & Hay | $8–$21 | 113,416 |
| Soybeans | $8–$21 | 97,284 |
| Oats | $8–$20 | 52,833 |
| Sunflowers | $8–$21 | 41,513 |
| Sugarcane | $18–$34 | 29,738 |
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 Texas
The crops that cover the most ground in Texas, 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 (field crops) and acres bearing (tree, vine & berry crops). Broad categories like pasture and mixed specialty crops aren’t charted here.
What drives the price in Texas
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).Texas’s base rate also reflects local regulation, labor, and field geometry.
Sources & confidence
Texas estimate · high confidence · data as of 2026 — High confidence: direct 2026 Texas A&M AgriLife custom-rate survey breaks out Flat Rate Aerial Application by region. Statewide aerial averages run ~$10-$13/acre across categories, with a $7-$21 spread; West Texas herbicide aerial is costliest (avg $21.50). Row-crop typical ~$12 sits just below the Iowa anchor because abundant large open acreage and a deep fixed-wing fleet keep prices competitive; drone operator quotes (~$15) and ASDC national $13 corroborate. Specialty band reflects RGV citrus, High Plains vineyards, and pecans; costIndex 0.97 vs Iowa=1.00.
- 2026 Texas Agricultural Custom Rates Survey (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension) - Flat Rate Aerial Application of insecticides/fungicides state avg $10.46, herbicides $12.64, growth regulators/defoliants $10.07; range $7-$21 (West TX herbicide avg $21.50)
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Custom Rate Survey landing page (survey archive, regional methodology - North/South/East/West)
- Kingdom Crop Spraying (Texas-based drone operator) - approx $15/acre drone spray application
- American Spray Drone Coalition 2025 U.S. Spray Drone Industry Survey - national avg $13/acre (down from $21 in 2024)
119 drone-spraying operators serve Texas, quoting roughly $7–$25/acre. Compare them and request free quotes.
Get quotes in TexasMore on drone spraying cost
Drone spraying cost in Texas: FAQs
- How much does drone spraying cost in Texas?
- In Texas, drone spraying runs about $8–$21 per acre for row crops and $18–$35 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 Texas?
- 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. Texas's rate reflects those local factors versus the national median.
- Does a restricted-use pesticide cost more to apply in Texas?
- 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.