Aerial application of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides by agricultural drone across row crops, vineyards and orchards in all 50 US states.
Drone Pesticide Spraying drone services in Ohio are listed by 15 operators in this directory. Ohio's state-level custom-rate guidance averages $13 to $18/acre, with the broader drone pesticide spraying band running $12 to $22/acre. In Ohio, drone pesticide spraying most commonly serves corn, soybeans and wheat. Ohio sits in the Corn Belt region, which shapes the calendar, weather and competitive pressure local operators plan around. Commercial drone applications in Ohio require Category C-1 (commercial license required even for private applicators) from Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) on top of FAA Part 137 certification.
Drone Pesticide Spraying — quick facts
Drone pesticide spraying in the US costs $12 to $22 per acre depending on crop, region and product. It is legally required to hold FAA Part 137 certification plus a state commercial pesticide applicator license with aerial category endorsement. Most commercial operators run DJI Agras T50 or Hylio AG-272 class drones at 2 to 5 gallons per acre carrier volume, treating 40 to 60 acres per flight hour per drone.
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How drone pesticide spraying works
Drone pesticide spraying is the single largest ag drone service in the United States, generating an estimated 60 percent of all commercial drone flight hours in agriculture. Operators run DJI Agras T50 and T40, Hylio AG-272 and AG-230 and XAG P100 Pro class machines to apply EPA-registered crop protection products at 2 to 5 gallons per acre carrier volume. Typical field throughput is 40 to 60 acres per flight hour for a single T50, and large operators run 3 to 8 drone fleets that treat 800 to 1,500 acres per day during peak windows. The three regulatory pillars every commercial drone sprayer must clear are FAA Part 107 (remote pilot certification), FAA Part 137 (agricultural aircraft operator certificate) and a state commercial pesticide applicator license with an aerial endorsement. Labels govern everything: carrier volume minimums, droplet size specs, wind limits, buffer zones, REI (restricted entry interval) and PHI (preharvest interval) all come from the EPA-approved product label, not from operator preference.
Typical rate: $12 to $22/acre
Drone Pesticide Spraying on top Ohio crops
In Ohio, drone pesticide spraying is most commonly used on:
Prices reflect 2026 industry-typical drone spraying rates by crop. Pair with the operator-stated rates below for a quote tailored to your fields.
Aerial pesticide licensing in Ohio
Ohio requires Category C-1 (commercial license required even for private applicators) for aerial pesticide application. The licensing authority is Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA).
AgriForce Drone Services is a full-service agricultural drone applicator based in central Iowa, serving the Corn Belt since 2020. FAA Part 107 and Part 137 certified fleet of 8 drones. Specializing in corn fungicide at tassel, soybean applications and fall cover crop seeding. Record: 1,200 acres treated in a single night.
Verified OperatorFAA Part 137 ✓FAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingCrop Scouting+1 more
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.
Verified OperatorFAA Part 107 ✓NDAA Compliant ✓
Drone SprayingFertilizer ApplicationCover Crop Seeding+2 more
Crop Hawk Drone Services covers Indiana, Ohio and Michigan with a 3-drone fleet. Our core business is fungicide application on corn at VT/R1 and soybean applications at R2 to R3. We also offer cover crop seeding programs starting in August. Operated by a fourth-generation farm family that understands your operation from the ground up.
NW PA · Part 107 + Part 137 certified, licensed in PA and OH
Saegertown, PA operator holding both FAA Part 107 and Part 137 certifications and licensed for aerial pesticide application in both Pennsylvania and Ohio. Services include aerial pesticide/herbicide/fungicide application, cover crop broadcast spreading, multispectral analysis and aerial photography for row crops and pastures.
Verified OperatorFAA Part 137 ✓FAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingFertilizer ApplicationAerial Mapping+1 more
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.
Verified OperatorFAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingAerial Mapping+1 more
Agricultural drone service covering Indiana Michigan and Ohio. Offers spraying at $12/acre with $200 minimum. Provides precision variable rate applications.
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingCrop Scouting+1 more
Founded 2022 by OSU agribusiness graduate (6th generation family farm). Services ~4000 acres with goal of 6000-8000. Developed High Flying Soybeans ag education curriculum.
FAA Part 137 ✓FAA Part 107 ✓
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingAerial Mapping+2 more
Small ag drone spraying business born from generational family farm in Wauseon OH. Emphasizes better product penetration via downwash versus airplane application.
Northwest Ohio ag drone expert combining nearly 100 years of farming heritage (since 1927) with modern drone technology. Thousands of acres sprayed per year.
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingCrop Scouting+2 more
Price on request
Primary sources for drone pesticide spraying
Federal regulators and industry references that govern drone pesticide spraying in Ohio and across the United States.
15 operators in our directory list drone pesticide spraying as a service in Ohio. Use the operator grid below to compare credentials, fleet, response time and pricing before reaching out.
Commercial drone pesticide spraying in Ohio 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 C-1 (commercial license required even for private applicators) from Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA). Confirm any operator you hire holds all three before any application.
Most Ohio operators book 4 to 6 weeks ahead of peak windows; rate confirmation is contract-bound and operator-specific. In Ohio, drone pesticide spraying is most often booked for corn, soybeans and wheat, each with its own seasonal window. For one-off jobs during peak demand spikes, supply tightens fast — establishing the operator relationship in the off-season pays off.
Yes. Any commercial aerial application of pesticides, even by drone, requires a Part 137 Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate in addition to Part 107. Farmers spraying only their own crops may qualify for a simplified Part 137 private applicator path, but anyone charging a third party or treating land they do not own must hold the full commercial Part 137.
National averages run $12 to $18 per acre for fungicide and insecticide applications on corn, soybeans and wheat. Orchard, vineyard and specialty crop work runs $18 to $35 per acre because of dense canopy and more passes per season. Minimum field size is typically 40 to 80 acres, with travel surcharges on fields more than 30 miles from the operator base.
Yes, if the product label permits aerial application and the operator holds a state commercial applicator license in the restricted use category. Dicamba has state-specific drone approval rules, paraquat requires an online certification plus state license and 2,4-D drone applications follow the label droplet and wind restrictions. Always check the label and your state department of agriculture before booking.
Most commercial operators cap wind at 10 mph for standard droplet applications and 7 mph for dicamba and 2,4-D. Inversions, rain within 4 to 8 hours and temperatures above 85 F with low humidity also pause spraying. Operators use on-drone weather stations plus local mesonet data to document conditions for every application as required by FIFRA recordkeeping.
For corn fungicide in July, book 4 to 6 weeks out. For wheat heading sprays, book in April for June applications. For orchard and vineyard full-season programs, book an annual contract in January or February. One-off jobs during peak disease or pest spikes are often impossible to source without a pre-existing operator relationship.