Potatoes cover approximately 1 million harvested acres in the United States, concentrated in Idaho, Washington, Wisconsin and Maine. Drone spraying on potatoes costs $16 to $24 per acre, with an 8-to-12-pass fungicide program per season targeting late blight and early blight. The drone advantage is late-season canopy work after row closure when ground rigs would crush rows and reduce yield.
Potatoes cover roughly 1 million harvested acres in the United States per USDA NASS, concentrated in Idaho, Washington, Wisconsin and Maine. Drone spraying targets late blight, Colorado potato beetle and an intensive 8-to-12-pass fungicide program per season.
Drone application can respond quickly to any of these threats, even in fields with difficult access.
Green = optimal application window
| Service type | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Potatoes: application only | $16/acre | $20/acre | $24/acre |
Official resources
The typical rate for drone spraying on potatoes is $16 to $24 per acre for application only, the farmer supplies the chemical product. Pricing varies based on total acreage, distance from the operator's base and product type. Larger fields (500+ acres) often qualify for lower per-acre rates.
Optimal timing for drone applications on potatoes is: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep. Applications should be made at low wind speeds (under 10 mph), ideally early morning or evening, to maximize product adhesion and minimize drift.
Key advantages of drone application over ground equipment: (1) zero soil compaction, (2) can operate when fields are too wet for tractors, (3) high-precision GPS coverage with 95%+ uniformity, (4) can treat irregular or small fragmented fields and (5) can spray tall crops like corn at full canopy. The main trade-off is a smaller tank size compared to pull-behind ground rigs.
NW PA operator & FlyingAg dealer · 45 acres/hr fungicide
Waterford, PA drone spraying service and authorized FlyingAg dealer run by Randy Biebel. Operates DJI Agras T40 and T50. Covers crop spraying (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides) at up to 45 acres/hour, seeding, spreading, training, right-of-way management, invasive species treatment and multispectral mapping. Serves PA and surrounding states.
Family-run Michigan drone operator based in St. Clair County. Jeff Whiting and his son Eric are fully licensed and insured with all the exemptions and certifications required by the FAA and the state of Michigan. Additional certifications for aquatics, right-of-way and mosquito applications. MDARD-compliant. Serves the Michigan Thumb and Great Lakes Bay Region.
Yakima, WA · Parabug biocontrol release + spray + Firman pollen testing
Austin Drone Solutions opened in 2025 and has covered over 2,500 acres across Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Their partnership with Parabug allows them to release beneficial insects via a patent-pending drone release system, implemented on their DJI Agras T25, making them one of the rare ag drone operators in the Pacific Northwest offering biocontrol services. They also provide spraying and spreading services on almost all crops and pasture ground using a DJI Agras T50, and are currently testing pollen applications at 10 GPA with Firman Pollen. Their trailer mixes up to 175 gallons per batch and carries 550 gallons of fresh water.
Authorized DJI Agras dealer. One-stop shop for ag drones, parts and service. Operates spray hubs across Idaho. Sprayed thousands of acres. $15 to $22/acre.
Custom drone spray operator covering eastern Idaho. $300 minimum, $10 to $20/acre. Optimistic about swarming technology for increased capacity.
Idaho's leading ag drone supplier started on a family farm. Carries multiple brands. Nationwide shipping. Also provides local spray services in SE Idaho. Founder Braden Smith gained attention when Elon Musk shared his post.
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