Seneca, IL
Established aerial application company, parent of Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems. Bridging traditional ag aviation with drones.
FAA Part 137 ✓
Drone Spraying
Price on request
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Drone Spraying for Row Crops: Rates, Timing & Operators 2026
$12 to $22/acre240M+ acres in the US
By Eugen Manoli, Founder and Editor · Updated
Row crops in the United States cover roughly 240 million planted acres per year and are the single largest customer for commercial agricultural drone spraying. Drone fungicide and insecticide rates run $12 to $22 per acre depending on crop and product. The four highest-volume drone-sprayed row crops are corn (90M acres, VT/R1 fungicide), soybeans (87M, R2/R3 fungicide), wheat (45M, T3 heading) and cotton (10M, defoliant Sep-Oct).
Row crops is the umbrella category for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, sorghum and the other field crops planted in defined rows that dominate US drone spraying volume — roughly 240 million planted acres in 2024 per USDA NASS.
ULV rate: 2 to 5 gpa
Key pests and diseases
- ⚠Variable by crop, see corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton profile pages for crop-specific pest and disease lists
Drone application can respond quickly to any of these threats, even in fields with difficult access.
Application calendar
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Green = optimal application window
Drone spraying rates 2026
| Service type | Low | Average | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Row Crops: application only | $12/acre | $17/acre | $22/acre |
Official resources
Frequently asked questions
The typical rate for drone spraying on row crops is $12 to $22 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 row crops is: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct. 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.
Operators with row crops experience
Hiawatha, KS
Certified Revolution Drones (Terraplex AG) dealer. NDAA-compliant platform. Extensive educational content.
Crop ScoutingPilot TrainingEquipment Sales
Price on request
Pratt, KS
EAVision authorized dealer through Agri Spray Drones. Member of NewAg Dynamix network.
FAA Part 137 ✓
Pilot TrainingEquipment Sales
Price on request
Kansas City area, KS
Kansas City area operator offering multispectral analysis and precision spraying.
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingCrop Scouting
Price on request
Nebraska, NE
NE PSC Precision Ag Grant recipient for XAG drone scouting and application.
Crop Scouting
Price on request
Spalding, NE
Central NE operator. Total Drone Solutions partner. NE PSC grant recipient.
Drone SprayingFertilizer Application
Price on request