Agricultural drone services for potatoes in Nebraska. Typical rate: $16 to $24/acre
In Nebraska, 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. Nebraska sits in the Great Plains region, which shapes the disease, drift and timing pressures local operators plan around. Commercial drone applications in Nebraska require Category 12: Aerial Pest Control from Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) 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
Nebraska requires Category 12: Aerial Pest Control for aerial pesticide application. The licensing authority is Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA).
Full agency, exam and renewal-cycle details: Nebraska 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 Minnesota precision drone service covering six upper Midwest states. Can begin work same day as initial site visit.
Central Missouri drone spraying company providing liquid and dry application across nine states. Fully licensed and insured.
Major DJI ag drone dealer and training provider. FastPass program lets new operators spray under nuWay Part 137 while their own application is pending. Charges $14-17/acre in NE Ohio.
Veteran-owned. Founded 2023. 100000+ acres applied. Licensed operators in 8 states including Iowa Minnesota and Missouri.
Founded 2023 by retirees. Operates DJI Agras T40 for aerial spraying and spreading in SE Nebraska and SW Iowa.
TerraPlex AG dealer network member selling GTEEX Revolution Drones to farmers in Kansas Nebraska and Missouri.
Certified Revolution Drones (Terraplex AG) dealer. NDAA-compliant platform. Extensive educational content.
NE PSC Precision Ag Grant recipient for XAG drone scouting and application.
Central NE operator. Total Drone Solutions partner. NE PSC grant recipient.
NE cooperative offering drone spraying to member-farmers. PSC grant recipient.
Veteran-owned, family-operated. Combines military precision with ag expertise.
FAA exemption holder (Docket FAA-2024-1058, Exemption 18413A). Nebraska City-based.
Central NE operator. Total Drone Solutions partner.
3,500+ acres covered in one season. Scaling to 6,000 crop + 1,000 pasture acres.
Major NE cooperative with dedicated drone spraying division. Dual PSC grants for DJI and non-DJI.
Nebraska farmer-operator using Hylio drones with FAA swarming exemption.
NE PSC grant recipient for agriculture spraying drone.
NE PSC grant recipient for agriculture spraying drone.
Founded by 40-year ag veteran. Holds Part 107, 44807 exemption and Part 137 AAOC.
Established aerial applicator with 9+ NE/KS locations. Added precision drone division.
FAA exemption holder (Docket FAA-2024-0255). Fairfield, NE operator using DJI T50.
Third-generation farmer and XAG dealer. Covers 50-60 acres/hour.
7,500+ acres sprayed without off-target movement. Developing drone-specific cover crop mixes.
Full-service ag retailer with integrated drone spraying (Red Air) and equipment sales (Red Solutions).
Authorized DJI ag dealer offering both custom application and equipment sales with agronomic consulting.
NE NE operator. Total Drone Solutions partner.
Multi-brand dealer/service center. Runs partner network of 3+ NE operators. Sponsors NE Ag Drone Conference.
NE PSC grant recipient for drone integration.
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 Nebraska typically run $16 to $24/acre for application only; the farmer supplies the chemical product. State-level custom-rate guidance for Nebraska 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 Nebraska for scheduling at least 4 to 6 weeks ahead of the peak window.
Commercial drone pesticide application in Nebraska 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 12: Aerial Pest Control from Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA). 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.