Agricultural drone services for potatoes in Kansas. Typical rate: $16 to $24/acre
In Kansas, drone spraying for potatoes sits within the broader state custom-rate band of $12 to $16/acre, with the most comparable per-acre range for potatoes applications running $16 to $24/acre. Kansas sits in the Great Plains region, which shapes the disease, drift and timing pressures local operators plan around. Commercial drone applications in Kansas require No single aerial category. Use-specific categories (1A/1B/1C/1D, 2, 3A/3B, 5, 6, 7C/7D, 10) from Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) 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
Kansas requires No single aerial category. Use-specific categories (1A/1B/1C/1D, 2, 3A/3B, 5, 6, 7C/7D, 10) for aerial pesticide application. The licensing authority is Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA).
Full agency, exam and renewal-cycle details: Kansas 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.
American-made NDAA-compliant ag drones & operator network
Hylio designs and manufactures the AG-272, the leading NDAA-compliant agricultural spray drone in the United States and supports a national network of certified Hylio operators. The company provides sales, training and operator support for federal programs, defense-adjacent ag operations and buyers requiring US-manufactured drone equipment.
Central Missouri drone spraying company providing liquid and dry application across nine states. Fully licensed and insured.
Kansas City-area drone services operator offering agricultural spraying multi-spectral crop analysis and insurance claims services.
Kansas City-area drone service serving eastern Kansas and western Missouri. FAA-certified for both airplanes and drones.
Veteran-owned. Founded 2023. 100000+ acres applied. Licensed operators in 8 states including Iowa Minnesota and Missouri.
TerraPlex AG dealer network member selling GTEEX Revolution Drones to farmers in Kansas Nebraska and Missouri.
Agricultural drone services and imagery provider in NE Kansas.
NE Kansas cooperative, one of first Rantizo drone system purchasers. Covers diverse terrain.
Physical retail location in Hiawatha, KS. Part of nation's largest brick-and-mortar ag drone dealer network.
Woman-owned aerial application company. FAA Part 61 and Part 107 certified pilots. KDA Applicator #305205.
Kansas drone spraying operator using DJI T40 for custom aerial application.
BBB A+ accredited. Serves pasture and rangeland management across Kansas.
Certified Revolution Drones (Terraplex AG) dealer. NDAA-compliant platform. Extensive educational content.
FAA 44807/Part 137 certified (Docket FAA-2023-1732). Central Kansas operator and DJI dealer.
EAVision authorized dealer through Agri Spray Drones. Member of NewAg Dynamix network.
Kansas City area operator offering multispectral analysis and precision spraying.
One of Agri Spray Drones' largest dealers. Former John Deere sales rep. Founded NewAg Dynamix network.
SE Kansas operator. Recently completed 1,200-acre push in 5 days during wet conditions.
Bourbon County ag drone business. Partners with another operator for spray applications.
Traditional aerial applicator in SW Kansas with 4 locations. Testing drone spot spraying technology.
Traditional crop duster near Wichita expanding into drone technology.
Established aerial applicator with 9+ NE/KS locations. Added precision drone division.
Traditional crop duster who integrated drones into operations. Licensed in Agriculture Insects, Plant Disease, Weed Control, Rangeland, Public Health, Aerial Pest.
Drone spraying rates for potatoes in Kansas typically run $16 to $24/acre for application only; the farmer supplies the chemical product. State-level custom-rate guidance for Kansas averages $12 to $16/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 Kansas for scheduling at least 4 to 6 weeks ahead of the peak window.
Commercial drone pesticide application in Kansas 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 No single aerial category. Use-specific categories (1A/1B/1C/1D, 2, 3A/3B, 5, 6, 7C/7D, 10) from Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA). 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.