Central, IL
Central Missouri drone spraying company providing liquid and dry application across nine states. Fully licensed and insured.
Drone SprayingCover Crop Seeding
Price on request
Drone Spraying in Montana: Licensing, Rates & Operators (2026)
By Eugen Manoli, Founder and Editor · Updated
Montana is the #2 US wheat state at 5.2 million acres, with Category 18 (Aerial Applicator) licensing and free exams at MDA field offices. Rates run $12 to $18 per acre. Large ranch acreage creates additional demand for pasture and rangeland drone applications beyond row crop spraying.
FAA Part 137 operators in Montana
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Listed operators
$12 to $18/acre
Rate range / acre
Wheat
Top crop
Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA)
Licensing agency
Drone operators serving Montana
Brighton, CO
Employee-owned precision technology dealer. Key Mountain West hub for ag drone sales. Has physical offices in CO, MT, ID and serves additional states.
Aerial MappingPilot TrainingEquipment Sales
Price on request
Harrisburg, MT
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.
Pilot TrainingEquipment Sales
Price on request
Billings, MT
Commercial agricultural drone spraying in Montana. Offers fungicide, pesticide, herbicide and fertilizer aerial spraying plus over-seeding. Online booking available.
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingFertilizer Application
Price on request
Livingston, MT
Both aerial drone and ground spray applications. Licensed commercial applicator with Montana Department of Agriculture. Operates statewide.
Drone Spraying
Price on request
Hamilton, MT
Hamilton-based aerial applicator providing helicopter and drone aerial applications statewide. Licensed with Montana Department of Agriculture.
Drone Spraying
Price on request
Montana, MT
Traditional ag aviation company with involvement in NAAA's Uncrewed Aerial Application Systems committee (2026 member).
Price on request
Helena area, MT
David Cahoon created a weed-spraying drone after hearing from ranchers. Demonstrated near Gates of the Mountains. Uses GPS-controlled altitude and pump rate. 1 acre with 2 gallons vs. 20 gallons by hand.
Drone SprayingCover Crop Seeding
Price on request
Sidney, MT
Agricultural company with drone application division. Provides drone spraying for county weed boards, landowners, municipalities. Sprays about 400 acres/day. Also has offices in Lansford and McClusky, ND.
Drone Spraying
Price on request
Townsend, MT
Townsend-based ag drone operator offering precision spraying, spreading, crop health imaging and detailed mapping for Montana farmers and ranchers.
Price on request
Southwest Montana, MT
Southwest Montana ag drone operator. Provides crop and pasture spraying, broadcast seeding, multispectral and thermal imaging. Offers variable rate applications and shareable KML files.
FAA Part 107 ✓
Price on request
Billings, MT
Billings-based ag drone spraying company providing precision aerial application of seed, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers to Montana farmers.
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingFertilizer Application
Price on request
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Drone spraying licensing in Montana
Aerial category
Category 18: Aerial Applicator
Core + Category 18 + 1 use-site category (3 exams). Exams free at MDA field offices. License $85/yr.
Renewal & CE
5-year cycle.
12 credits per category per 5-year cycle.
Montana pesticide licensing is administered by the Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) under Category 18 (Aerial Applicator). Applicators take Core plus Category 18 plus one use-site category, 3 exams total. Exams are administered free of charge at MDA field offices, which is unusual nationally. The annual license fee is $85.
Renewal is on a 5-year cycle with 12 CE credits per category required. Large ranch and rangeland acreage in Montana creates demand for pasture applications beyond standard row crop work. Reciprocity exists with ND, SD, WY and NE, with a Montana rules exam required.
Montana-specific rules operators must know
- •Exams are free at MDA field offices, unusual nationally.
- •Large ranch acreage creates demand for pasture and rangeland drone applications.
Reciprocity states
ND, SD, WY, NE
Top crops for drone spraying in Montana
Drone spraying guides by crop in Montana
Region
Great Plains
Montana is part of the Great Plains agricultural region. See rates, crops and operators across the region.
Drone spraying in Montana, frequently asked questions
Wheat applications run $12 to $16 per acre. Pasture and rangeland work runs $15 to $18 due to remote field access and travel distances.
Yes. MDA administers exams at field offices at no charge, which is unusual nationally. The license itself is $85 per year.
Winter wheat heads in late May to early June. Spring wheat heads in late June to early July, overlapping with North Dakota timing.
Yes. Pasture and rangeland applications (brush control, spot herbicide treatment) on large ranch operations are an emerging niche. Drones access remote terrain that ground rigs cannot reach efficiently.
Yes, with ND, SD, WY and NE. Must pass MT rules exam.
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