Aerial application of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides by agricultural drone across row crops, vineyards and orchards in all 50 US states.
Drone Pesticide Spraying drone services in Colorado are listed by 9 operators in this directory. Colorado's state-level custom-rate guidance averages $13 to $18/acre, with the broader drone pesticide spraying band running $12 to $22/acre. In Colorado, drone pesticide spraying most commonly serves wheat, corn and cover crops. Colorado sits in the Great Plains region, which shapes the calendar, weather and competitive pressure 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.
Drone pesticide spraying in the US costs $12 to $22 per acre depending on crop, region and product. It is legally required to hold FAA Part 137 certification plus a state commercial pesticide applicator license with aerial category endorsement. Most commercial operators run DJI Agras T50 or Hylio AG-272 class drones at 2 to 5 gallons per acre carrier volume, treating 40 to 60 acres per flight hour per drone.
Drone pesticide spraying is the single largest ag drone service in the United States, generating an estimated 60 percent of all commercial drone flight hours in agriculture. Operators run DJI Agras T50 and T40, Hylio AG-272 and AG-230 and XAG P100 Pro class machines to apply EPA-registered crop protection products at 2 to 5 gallons per acre carrier volume. Typical field throughput is 40 to 60 acres per flight hour for a single T50, and large operators run 3 to 8 drone fleets that treat 800 to 1,500 acres per day during peak windows. The three regulatory pillars every commercial drone sprayer must clear are FAA Part 107 (remote pilot certification), FAA Part 137 (agricultural aircraft operator certificate) and a state commercial pesticide applicator license with an aerial endorsement. Labels govern everything: carrier volume minimums, droplet size specs, wind limits, buffer zones, REI (restricted entry interval) and PHI (preharvest interval) all come from the EPA-approved product label, not from operator preference.
In Colorado, drone pesticide spraying is most commonly used on:
Prices reflect 2026 industry-typical drone spraying rates by crop. Pair with the operator-stated rates below for a quote tailored to your fields.
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.
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.
Agricultural drone services company based on the Western Slope of Colorado. Listed as UAV drone applicator on Weld County list.
Federal regulators and industry references that govern drone pesticide spraying in Colorado and across the United States.
9 operators in our directory list drone pesticide spraying as a service in Colorado. Use the operator grid below to compare credentials, fleet, response time and pricing before reaching out.
Commercial drone pesticide spraying 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.
Most Colorado operators book 4 to 6 weeks ahead of peak windows; rate confirmation is contract-bound and operator-specific. In Colorado, drone pesticide spraying is most often booked for wheat, corn and cover crops, each with its own seasonal window. For one-off jobs during peak demand spikes, supply tightens fast — establishing the operator relationship in the off-season pays off.
Yes. Any commercial aerial application of pesticides, even by drone, requires a Part 137 Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate in addition to Part 107. Farmers spraying only their own crops may qualify for a simplified Part 137 private applicator path, but anyone charging a third party or treating land they do not own must hold the full commercial Part 137.
National averages run $12 to $18 per acre for fungicide and insecticide applications on corn, soybeans and wheat. Orchard, vineyard and specialty crop work runs $18 to $35 per acre because of dense canopy and more passes per season. Minimum field size is typically 40 to 80 acres, with travel surcharges on fields more than 30 miles from the operator base.
Yes, if the product label permits aerial application and the operator holds a state commercial applicator license in the restricted use category. Dicamba has state-specific drone approval rules, paraquat requires an online certification plus state license and 2,4-D drone applications follow the label droplet and wind restrictions. Always check the label and your state department of agriculture before booking.
Most commercial operators cap wind at 10 mph for standard droplet applications and 7 mph for dicamba and 2,4-D. Inversions, rain within 4 to 8 hours and temperatures above 85 F with low humidity also pause spraying. Operators use on-drone weather stations plus local mesonet data to document conditions for every application as required by FIFRA recordkeeping.
For corn fungicide in July, book 4 to 6 weeks out. For wheat heading sprays, book in April for June applications. For orchard and vineyard full-season programs, book an annual contract in January or February. One-off jobs during peak disease or pest spikes are often impossible to source without a pre-existing operator relationship.