Agricultural drone services for orchards in Massachusetts. Typical rate: $20–$35/acre/acre
Orchards cover more than 5 million acres in Washington, California, Michigan, and New York. Apple, cherry, peach, almond, and walnut operations benefit from drone applications for fire blight, powdery mildew, and codling moth control. Washington State surveys show 95% of apple growers are interested in drone spraying. Drones reach between-row positions in dense plantings and hillside blocks inaccessible to conventional airblast sprayers.
Green months = optimal application window
CEASED OPERATIONS Aug 2025 · first eVTOL ag drone authorized in US
CEASED OPERATIONS August 2025 after failing to secure additional funding. Was the first eVTOL aircraft authorized for commercial US agricultural operations (April 2023). Raised $51.7M. Named Time Best Inventions 2024. Operated the Guardian SC1 (eVTOL, 200 lb payload, 20-gal tank, 18-ft spray boom). Founded 2017 in Woburn, MA.
First NE ag drone service · spraying + spreading + monitoring
Self-described first agricultural drone service provider in the Northeast. Father-son team (Tom and Tim Massey) offering spraying up to 50 acres/hour plus fertilizer spreading, cover crop seeding, browntail moth management, multispectral crop monitoring, and LiDAR mapping. Operates DJI Agras T40 fleet from Rockland, ME.
Drone spraying rates for orchards in Massachusetts typically run $20–$35/acre 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.
Optimal timing for orchards drone applications is: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug. Exact timing depends on weather conditions and pest or disease pressure each season. Contact a local operator in Massachusetts for scheduling.
Drone spraying on orchards offers several advantages: zero soil compaction, 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. It also reduces product waste by 20–30% compared to ground equipment.