Agricultural drone services for potatoes in Colorado. Typical rate: $16 to $24/acre
In Colorado, drone spraying for potatoes sits within the broader state custom-rate band of $13 to $18/acre, with the most comparable per-acre range for potatoes applications running $16 to $24/acre. Colorado sits in the Great Plains region, which shapes the disease, drift and timing pressures local operators plan around. Commercial drone applications in Colorado require Category 114: Aerial Pest Control (explicitly includes UAV) from Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) on top of FAA Part 137 certification.
US potato production runs roughly 1 million harvested acres per year per USDA NASS, with Idaho the dominant state at over 300,000 acres followed by Washington, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Colorado and Maine. Potatoes are one of the most pesticide-intensive row crops in US agriculture, with an 8-to-12-pass fungicide program per season targeting late blight (Phytophthora infestans), early blight (Alternaria solani) and white mold. Drones serve potato growers in two niches: late-season fungicide work after the canopy closes and ground rigs cause yield-damaging row crush, and Colorado potato beetle insecticide work on small or irregularly shaped fields where airplane setup time is uneconomic. Per-acre rates run $16 to $24, higher than corn or soybean fungicide because of the application frequency and the precision required to keep pesticide off neighboring sensitive crops. Idaho potato operators book through season contracts that cover the full disease program; spot work for beetle outbreaks runs at premium rates with 24-to-48-hour turnaround. Operators serving potato growers should hold FAA Part 137 plus the state commercial pesticide applicator license with aerial endorsement and, on Idaho fields, a Confidentiality Agreement with the grower for scheduling against neighboring fields. University of Idaho Extension and the Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbook are the authoritative scouting references.
Green months = optimal application window
Colorado requires Category 114: Aerial Pest Control (explicitly includes UAV) for aerial pesticide application. The licensing authority is Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA).
Full agency, exam and renewal-cycle details: Colorado state page · 50-state licensing reference · state extension service.
Great Plains wheat & corn specialist
Precision Air Ag serves wheat and corn producers across the Great Plains from our base in central Kansas. 5-drone fleet capable of 200+ acres per day. Our team handles wheat fungicide at heading, corn fungicide at tassel and cotton defoliation across Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. FAA Part 137 certified with $3M liability coverage.
Nebraska wheat & corn · NDAA-compliant fleet
Great Plains Drone Co. operates an NDAA-compliant fleet of Hylio AG-272 drones across Nebraska, South Dakota and Kansas. We serve large-scale grain producers with corn and wheat fungicide applications, and offer fall cover crop seeding programs across the northern Plains. Minimum booking: 40 acres. No travel charge within 100 miles.
Locally operated land and vegetation management company serving Northern Colorado with precision ground and aerial spraying. Licensed and insured.
Ag and powerline drone services in Western CO. Holds Part 107, Part 137, Commercial Applicator and Aerial Applicator licenses. Sprays up to 30 acres/hr.
Traditional crop duster who integrated drones into operations. Licensed in Agriculture Insects, Plant Disease, Weed Control, Rangeland, Public Health, Aerial Pest.
Employee-owned precision technology dealer. Key Mountain West hub for ag drone sales. Has physical offices in CO, MT, ID and serves additional states.
Weed and pest control company using drone aerial application for GPS-guided herbicide spraying. Listed on Weld County commercial applicator list.
Drone herbicide and insecticide applicator for pasture and open space. Specializes in small acreage (5 to 100+ acres). Sprays 25 acres/hr at 2 gal/acre. FAA Part 137 exemption (FAA-2023-2213).
Listed as UAV Drone Applicator on Weld County official 2023 Commercial Spraying Applicators list.
Listed as UAV Drone Applicator on Weld County commercial spraying applicators list. Limited public information.
Listed on Weld County official commercial spraying applicator list under UAV Drone Applicators section. Minimal public info.
Agricultural drone services company based on the Western Slope of Colorado. Listed as UAV drone applicator on Weld County list.
DJI Agras distributor for western US. Demonstrated DJI T40 in Choteau, MT. T40 bundle approx. $34,000. Can run 4 drones simultaneously at 45 acres/hr.
DJI Agras drone distributor for the western US with 5 Oregon dealer locations (Harrisburg, Hillsboro, Madras, Rickreall, Woodburn) plus dealers across 7 western states
Subsidiary of XTI Aerospace (Nasdaq: XTIA); partnered with Hungary-based ABZ Innovation Jan 2025 to expand ag spraying lineup; CE/ISO certified, NDAA-compliant alternative
Drone spraying rates for potatoes in Colorado typically run $16 to $24/acre for application only; the farmer supplies the chemical product. State-level custom-rate guidance for Colorado averages $13 to $18/acre. Pricing varies based on total acreage, distance from the operator base and product type.
Optimal drone application timing for potatoes runs May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep. Exact timing depends on weather, growth stage and pest or disease pressure each season; contact a local operator in Colorado for scheduling at least 4 to 6 weeks ahead of the peak window.
Commercial drone pesticide application in Colorado requires three credentials: an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate for the pilot, an FAA Part 137 Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate for the business, and Category 114: Aerial Pest Control (explicitly includes UAV) from Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA). Confirm any operator you hire holds all three before any application.
Drone spraying on potatoes offers zero soil compaction, the ability to operate when fields are too wet for tractors, GPS-guided uniform coverage at 95%+ accuracy and the ability to treat small or irregularly shaped fields. Peer-reviewed studies (Nature Scientific Reports 2025, ScienceDirect 2025, ACS 2023) report 46 to 75% pesticide use reduction, 65 to 70% drift reduction at field boundaries and 90 to 99% lower operator chemical exposure versus ground equipment.
Potato drone spraying runs $16 to $24 per acre, the highest average among major US row crops because of the 8-to-12-pass disease program per season and the precision required to manage drift onto sensitive neighboring crops. Season contracts covering the full program are typically discounted 10 to 15% from spot rates.
Most Idaho and Washington programs run 8 to 12 passes per season, starting at row closure and continuing through vine-kill. Late blight pressure years can push the count to 14 or more passes on susceptible varieties. Pacific Northwest Pest Management Handbooks publish current threshold and rotation guidance.
Drift control on neighboring sensitive crops, smaller-field economics, and faster turnaround on Colorado potato beetle outbreaks. Airplanes are still the workhorse on contiguous 500+ acre Idaho fields, but drones win on fragmented production, drift-sensitive borders, and the late-season canopy work after row closure when airplane wingtip drift becomes a liability.
June through September is the heart of the disease program in the Pacific Northwest. Wisconsin and Maine peak slightly earlier in June through August. Vine-kill applications in September close the season. Operators serving Idaho potato country are typically fully booked into season contracts by mid-May.
Same FAA Part 107 plus Part 137 plus state commercial pesticide applicator license with aerial endorsement that any commercial drone spraying requires. Idaho and Washington both publish potato-specific drift management guidance under their state department of agriculture; some Idaho operators voluntarily certify under the Idaho Potato Commission grower-operator coordination program.