Drone-based aerial mapping for field boundaries, elevation, drainage planning, yield zones and variable-rate prescription maps.
Agricultural Drone Mapping drone services in Florida are listed by 7 operators in this directory. Florida's state-level custom-rate guidance averages $18 to $28/acre, with the broader agricultural drone mapping band running $2 to $8/acre. In Florida, agricultural drone mapping most commonly serves corn, soybeans and cover crops. Florida sits in the Southeast region, which shapes the calendar, weather and competitive pressure local operators plan around. Commercial drone applications in Florida require Aerial Pest Control (Ch. 487 F.S.) from Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) on top of FAA Part 137 certification.
Agricultural drone mapping costs $2 to $8 per acre for raw orthomosaics and elevation data, rising to $5 to $15 per acre when prescription maps for variable-rate application are included. Only FAA Part 107 is required, with no Part 137 or state pesticide license needed. Fixed-wing drones cover 500 to 1,500 acres per flight, while quadcopter platforms handle 100 to 400 acres per flight.
Agricultural drone mapping produces orthomosaics, digital elevation models and field boundary data for precision farming, drainage tile design, yield zone analysis and variable-rate prescriptions. Fixed-wing drones like the senseFly eBee X and quadcopter platforms like the DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral and Phantom 4 RTK cover 200 to 1,500 acres per flight at ground sample distances of 1 to 5 centimeters per pixel. Mapping is the lowest regulatory barrier ag drone service because it does not require Part 137 or a state pesticide license, only FAA Part 107 and the standard airspace authorizations. Typical deliverables include geo-referenced orthomosaics in GeoTIFF or JPEG, digital elevation models for drainage planning, volumetric calculations for silage piles and vegetation index maps (NDVI, NDRE) as a raw layer. Most operators charge per acre with a minimum flight fee, and prescription-ready outputs (variable-rate fertilizer or seed maps) command a premium over raw orthomosaic output.
In Florida, agricultural drone mapping 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.
Florida requires Aerial Pest Control (Ch. 487 F.S.) for aerial pesticide application. The licensing authority is Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).
Full agency, exam and renewal-cycle details: Florida state page · 50-state licensing reference · state extension service.
Drone ag technology & application services, Southeast US
Volitant Technologies provides agricultural drone application services and precision technology solutions to row-crop and specialty crop producers across the Southeast. The company combines drone spraying with data analytics and remote sensing to deliver prescription-based applications for fungicide, herbicide and fertilizer programs.
GA · XAG P100 Pro HP fleet, peanuts, cotton, pecans & blueberries
National aerial services company with a dedicated drone ag division actively operating in Georgia. Fully licensed in Georgia. Operates fleet of XAG P100 Pro HP drones for wet spraying, dry spreading (fertilizer/seed), aerial surveys, multispectral crop analysis and prescription mapping. Confirmed operations in Bulloch County peanuts and SW Georgia cotton.
South FL · citrus, sugarcane & exotic vegetation control
Agricultural drone spraying and mapping service in South Florida (Polk/Highlands County area). Specializes in exotic vegetation control and precision application with RTK GPS centimeter-level accuracy. Covers citrus, sugarcane, tomatoes, avocados and nursery plants.
Fort Myers FL · FAA UAS Integration Pilot Program 2018 selectee
Fort Myers, FL government agency and one of only 10 entities selected for the FAA's UAS Integration Pilot Program in 2018. Uses drones for mosquito surveillance and treatment in extensive mangrove habitats. Has planned deployment of a 1,500-lb drone platform for large-scale treatment. Contact: Eric Jackson (Public Information Officer).
FL · first FAA-certified UAS spray company, 10,000+ flights completed
Daytona Beach, FL manufacturer and operator formerly known as LEAT (Leading Edge Aerial Technologies). First company to receive FAA certification for UAS spray applications of agricultural products. Founded 2012; acquired by Central Garden and Pet in November 2024. Completed over 10,000 UAS flights. Makes PrecisionVision PV35X, PV40X and PV100 platforms plus MapVision software.
Naples FL government · drone surveillance & larvicide application
Collier Mosquito Control District in Naples, FL uses drones for mosquito management, filling the gap between manned aircraft and ground operations. Conducts drone surveillance for mosquito breeding and targeted larvicide applications. Key contacts: Robin King (Communications) and Atom Rosales (Technical Development).
AL · full-service drone application across row crops, forestry & aquatics
Alabama-based operator founded 2023 offering full-service drone aerial application across row crops, forestry, pastures and invasive species. Covers AL, GA, MS, FL, TN, AR and KY. Services include cotton, peanuts, corn, soybeans, hay, loblolly pine, orchards, vegetables and aquatic weed management plus multispectral imaging.
Federal regulators and industry references that govern agricultural drone mapping in Florida and across the United States.
7 operators in our directory list agricultural drone mapping as a service in Florida. Use the operator grid below to compare credentials, fleet, response time and pricing before reaching out.
Commercial agricultural drone mapping in Florida 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 Aerial Pest Control (Ch. 487 F.S.) from Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Confirm any operator you hire holds all three before any application.
Most Florida operators book 4 to 6 weeks ahead of peak windows; rate confirmation is contract-bound and operator-specific. In Florida, agricultural drone mapping is most often booked for corn, soybeans 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.
Design drainage tile layouts from the elevation model, generate variable-rate seed and fertilizer prescriptions from NDVI zones, document stand counts after emergence, calculate storage pile volumes, track crop progress over the season and produce yield zone maps for post-harvest analysis. Most deliverables import directly into Climate FieldView, John Deere Operations Center or SMS software.
No. Mapping does not dispense anything, so Part 107 is sufficient. This is why mapping is often the first commercial ag drone service new operators add, since the regulatory barrier is roughly a weekend of study and a proctored exam compared to the months-long Part 137 exemption process.
RTK-corrected drone elevation maps typically hit 2 to 5 centimeter vertical accuracy, which is sufficient for tile drainage design in most field conditions. Engineers still verify high-precision designs with ground GPS shots at tile outlet locations, but the drone flight replaces 80 to 90 percent of the traditional grid survey time and cost.
Raw orthomosaic mapping runs $2 to $5 per acre with a $250 to $500 minimum flight fee. Adding elevation data typically adds $1 to $3 per acre. Full prescription-ready outputs (variable-rate maps in the customer agronomy software of choice) run $5 to $15 per acre. Multi-season contracts often discount these rates 20 to 30 percent.
Technically yes but practically no. T50s are designed for spraying payload and battery use, not long endurance mapping. Most operators who offer both services run a T50 for spraying plus a Mavic 3 Multispectral or Phantom 4 RTK for mapping because the mapping drones deliver better ground sample distance, longer flight times and better imaging sensors.