How Much Does Drone Spraying Cost Per Acre? (2026 Rates)

By Ag Drone Sprayers Editorial Team · Updated June 23, 2026

Agricultural drone spraying is priced per acre. For row crops, expect about $12–$18 per acre; for orchards, vineyards, and specialty crops, roughly $18–$35 per acre (application only, product extra) — based on the 2026 Iowa State University Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey.

Typical drone spraying cost by crop type

Rates vary a lot by state — California runs well above the Corn Belt. See drone spraying cost by state for researched per-acre figures and a state-by-state, crop-by-crop breakdown.

What drives the price

Two jobs in the same county can quote differently. The biggest factors:

• Field size and shape.Large, contiguous fields cost less per acre than small or irregular ones — there’s less ferrying and setup per treated acre.
• Crop and canopy. Dense orchard and vineyard canopies need slower, more careful passes, raising the per-acre rate.
• Number of passes. A single fungicide pass costs less than a multi-application season.
• Product and supply. Whether you supply the chemical, and how expensive it is, changes the all-in cost.
• Travel and terrain. Remote ground or long ferry distances add to the quote.

Is it cheaper than ground rigs or a manned aircraft?

Per-acre, drone spraying is competitive with other aerial application and often wins on the jobs that are hardest for everything else: wet fields, tall canopies, point rows, and small or irregular fields where a ground rig causes compaction or simply can’t travel — and where a manned aircraft’s minimums make a small job uneconomical. Drones also avoid wheel-track yield loss, which matters most late-season over a tall canopy.

Estimate your job

Enter your acres and a per-acre rate to see a ballpark total, then request real quotes from operators who cover your area.