Rochester, New York sits in Monroe County, an ag-relevant region with statewide drone-spray operator coverage available; this page surfaces the crops, rates and licensing context for Rochester farmers booking work. Western New York Lake Plain; surrounding counties anchor apple, cherry and processing-vegetable production. Primary crops in New York include corn and grapes / vineyards, each with established 2026 drone-spray rate bands. New York drone application rates run $16 to $28/acre depending on field size, crop and application timing, in line with 2026 statewide benchmarks. Every operator working over New York fields must hold FAA Part 107 plus Category 11: Aerial Application from New York State DEC, and many also carry FAA Part 137 for commercial agricultural aircraft operations. Contact statewide operators in the New York directory below for Rochester availability, or list your business free if you serve Rochester.
World's first drone pollination service · 25 to 50% yield increase
World's first commercial drone pollination service, founded 2017 in Syracuse, NY by Adam Fine and Matt Koball. Custom hexacopter fleet of 6 drones covers 40 acres/hour. Third-party studies show 25 to 50% yield increase. Won $500K Grow-NY prize and $250K GENIUS NY investment. First commercial apple pollination at Beak and Skiff orchard.
NJ · 50+ drone fleet, 123.5 acres/hr, DJI Agras T20 launch customer
Morristown, NJ operator founded 2020 by commercial airline pilots. DJI Agras T20 launch customer (purchased 49 units). Fleet of 50+ Agras drones capable of flying 5 simultaneously covering 123.5 acres/hour. Services include agricultural spraying, cover crop seeding, greenhouse whitewashing, Part 107 training and drone leasing. Serves NJ, NY, CT, IL and GA.
National · DJI Agras distributor explicitly serving NE states
Division of Rozell Sprayer Manufacturing with 40+ years in the sprayer industry based in Tyler, TX. Distributes the full DJI Agras line explicitly to multiple Northeast states including NJ, NY, DE, RI, ME, VT, MA and MD. Provides sales, technical support and training.
National · farmer-founded ag drone dealer since 2015
One of the earliest US agricultural drone dealers, founded 2015 by a group of farmers. Sells DJI Agras T50, T100 and Talos T60X plus sprayer trailer solutions. Provides training at IN/IL facilities. CropTech Solutions (Waterford, PA) is an authorized FlyingAg dealer. Contact: corey@flyingag.com.
National · DJI Certified Service Center, 50K+ acres sprayed, NE state pages
DJI Certified Service Center and authorized dealer based in Dundee, OH, run by Mike. Has sprayed 50K+ acres. Maintains state-specific pages for most NE states: NY, NJ, PA, MD, DE, CT, WV, NH and MA. Designed the nuWay Ag Drone Trailer. Sells DJI Agras T100, T50, T40, T25, FlyCart 100 and Mavic 3M.
National network · largest spray drone operator network in US, 30+ states
Largest spray drone operator network in the US covering 30+ states, based in Iowa City, IA and led by CEO Mariah Scott. AcreConnect platform (map.acreconnect.io) connects farmers with local operators. Stone Valley Drones (PA) is a network member. Sells DJI Agras T10, T30, T40 and XAG P100 Pro. Holds FAA Exemption 18929B.
National · end-to-end DJI Agras sales, training & compliance in 33+ states
National agricultural drone sales firm providing DJI spray drones with end-to-end support: training, regulatory compliance (Part 107/137), insurance and financing. Explicitly serves 33+ states including NY. Sells full DJI Agras lineup: T70P, T50, T40 and T25.
Northeast · only identified XAG authorized dealer in the region
The only identified XAG authorized dealer serving the Northeast US. Also sells DJI drones and the Ceres Air platform. Offers precision aerial application, multispectral mapping, agricultural education, training, repairs and drone sales. Partners with Virginia Ag Drones. Offers John Deere Financing.
National · largest US ag spray drone distributor, 21K YouTube subscribers
Self-described largest agricultural spray drone distributor in the US, founded 2019 in Boonville, MO by Taylor Moreland and Kit Carlson. Distributes EAVision J70, J150 and RoadRunner 350. Maintains dealer locator and custom applicator maps. Hi-Aloft (PA) is an affiliate dealer. 21K YouTube subscribers.
NW PA operator & FlyingAg dealer · 45 acres/hr fungicide
Waterford, PA drone spraying service and authorized FlyingAg dealer run by Randy Biebel. Operates DJI Agras T40. Covers crop spraying (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides) at up to 45 acres/hour, seeding, right-of-way management, invasive species treatment and multispectral mapping. Serves PA and surrounding states.
Finger Lakes NY · family-owned, NYS DEC certified pesticide applicator
Family-owned drone services business founded 2024 in Canandaigua, NY (Finger Lakes region) by Christian Smith, Don Burkard and Hana Smith. Jay Franklin serves as NYS DEC certified pesticide applicator (Category 11) with 12+ years experience. Christian Smith is a mechanical engineer. Covers NY statewide.
Western NY · ISA arborist + FAA/NYS DEC drone pesticide applicator
ISA Certified Arborist firm in Clarence, NY fully licensed by FAA and NYS DEC for drone pesticide application. Operates a 5+ ft wingspan spray drone covering 27.5 acres/hour. Handles vegetation management, invasive species control and agricultural spraying in areas inaccessible to ground equipment. Offices in Clarence and Rochester, NY.
Rochester sits in Monroe County with a population of approximately 211,328 (US Census Bureau Places).
Western New York Lake Plain; surrounding counties anchor apple, cherry and processing-vegetable production.
Sources: USDA NASS Census of Agriculture (county-level cropland and farm-receipts tables) and US Census Bureau Places gazetteer. Confirm exact figures via primary source for any decision-grade use.
| Crop | Operators | Rate ($/acre) | Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corn | 0 | $12 to $18 | Jul to Aug |
| Grapes / Vineyards | 0 | $18 to $30 | Mar to Sep |
| Orchards | 0 | $20 to $35 | Mar to Aug |
Rate ranges from national crop benchmarks. New York statewide range: $16 to $28/acre. Estimate your job →
Commercial agricultural drone application in New York requires the federal FAA Part 137 certificate plus Category 11: Aerial Application from New York State DEC. Read the federal rules in the FAA Part 137 guide and the state-by-state breakdown on state pesticide licensing.
Primary-source references for verifying ag drone operator credentials in New York and federally.
Use the spray cost calculator to model Rochester jobs against the $16 to $28/acre state range. Pin down acres, target crop (most Rochester jobs are corn), and whether you need application only or chemical-included pricing.
Confirm the operator holds FAA Part 107, FAA Part 137 and Category 11: Aerial Application. 0 of 0 Rochester operators in this directory list Part 137. Ask for a copy of their certificate and state license number before signing.
Corn treatment in New York typically lands in the Jul to Aug window. Demand spikes in peak season, so contact 2 to 3 of the Rochester operators below 4 to 6 weeks ahead with field maps, target product and a preferred date range. Confirm insurance certificates name your farm as additional insured before the first flight.
Drone spraying in Rochester typically runs $16 to $28/acre, in line with the broader New York 2026 benchmark. Application-only rates exclude chemical, and quotes vary based on field size, terrain and crop. Corn jobs in New York sit toward the lower end of that range when fields are large and contiguous. Use the spray cost calculator to model your specific acreage before requesting quotes.
Rochester does not yet have an operator listed at the city level, but 19 drone operators cover New York statewide and most can serve Rochester fields with reasonable travel. See the statewide grid below or use the spray cost calculator to estimate a job before reaching out. If you provide drone services in Rochester, list your business free to anchor this page.
Any operator booking commercial drone pesticide application over Rochester fields needs three credentials: FAA Part 107 (Remote Pilot Certificate) for the pilot, FAA Part 137 (Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate) for the business, and Category 11: Aerial Application from New York State DEC. Confirm all three before any application; many operators also carry NDAA Section 848 compliance for cost-share eligible work.