Winchester, Virginia sits in Frederick County, an ag-relevant region with statewide drone-spray operator coverage available; this page surfaces the crops, rates and licensing context for Winchester farmers booking work. Northern Shenandoah Valley; Frederick County is among the top US apple-producing counties. Primary crops in Virginia include soybeans and corn, each with established 2026 drone-spray rate bands. Virginia drone application rates run $16 to $26/acre depending on field size, crop and application timing, in line with 2026 statewide benchmarks. Every operator working over Virginia fields must hold FAA Part 107 plus Category 11: Aerial Pesticide Application from Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), and many also carry FAA Part 137 for commercial agricultural aircraft operations. Contact statewide operators in the Virginia directory below for Winchester availability, or list your business free if you serve Winchester.
National ag drone operator network, SE & mid-Atlantic focus
Osprey Agri Drones is a national agricultural drone operator network with strong coverage across the Southeast and mid-Atlantic. The company coordinates multi-state fleet deployment for corn, soybean, cotton, peanut and rice applications, offering operators in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and beyond.
National ag drone operator network & marketplace
Avary Drone operates a national network of vetted agricultural drone operators and a booking marketplace connecting growers with local certified pilots. Coverage spans the Southeast, Midwest and mid-Atlantic, with operators available for corn, soybean, cotton and rice fungicide and herbicide applications, as well as cover crop seeding.
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.
MD/DE/VA precision ag drone · UPASS Foundation board member
Key Maryland, Delaware and Virginia precision ag drone operator run by Earl Dyson out of Queenstown, MD. Operates DJI Agras T40 for row crop spraying (fungicide, foliar feed), orchard and vegetable pest control and cover crop seeding. UPASS Foundation board member and speaker at UMD Extension Agronomic Drone School at Wye Research Center.
Drone ag technology & application services, Southeast US
Volitant Technologies provides agricultural drone application services and precision technology solutions to row-crop and specialty crop producers across the Southeast. The company combines drone spraying with data analytics and remote sensing to deliver prescription-based applications for fungicide, herbicide and fertilizer programs.
Shenandoah Valley grain & poultry litter drone application
Houff Corporation, a major Shenandoah Valley agricultural cooperative, offers drone application services to member grain and livestock producers. The coop uses drones for precision fungicide programs on corn and wheat, and for poultry litter and dry fertilizer spreading on hillside fields inaccessible to conventional ground equipment.
Osprey network coverage for Virginia & mid-Atlantic producers
The Virginia division of the Osprey Agri Drones network serves grain, cotton and peanut producers across Virginia's Coastal Plain and Piedmont. Osprey's multi-state fleet of DJI Agras T50 and T100 drones provides rapid scheduling for corn VT fungicide, soybean R3 and peanut late-season disease programs.
Statewide Virginia drone spraying & cover crop seeding
Virginia Ag Drones is a statewide operator providing drone fungicide, herbicide and cover crop seeding services to corn, soybean, wheat and peanut producers across Virginia. The company maintains crews in both the Tidewater and Piedmont regions to provide fast response times across the state's diverse agricultural landscape.
Land-grant UAS precision ag research & Extension, Blacksburg VA
Virginia Tech's School of Plant and Environmental Sciences operates a drone precision agriculture program conducting applied research on UAV-based spraying, remote sensing and variable-rate application. The program delivers producer workshops, Extension field days and FAA Part 107 training across Virginia in partnership with county Extension offices.
Virginia corn, soybean & wheat drone application
Apex Ag LLC is a Virginia-based agricultural drone operator serving corn, soybean, wheat and cover crop producers across the Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont. The company offers fungicide applications, herbicide programs and cover crop seeding, with scheduling designed to accommodate the mixed row-crop and livestock farm landscape of central and western Virginia.
Shenandoah Valley sustainable ag drone research & training
Eastern Mennonite University's drone agriculture program integrates precision UAV technology with sustainable and regenerative farming practices in the Shenandoah Valley. The program offers producer workshops on drone scouting, cover crop seeding and low-input fungicide programs and conducts research on drone use in small and mid-scale diversified farming systems.
Virginia drone ag application, grain, orchards & vineyards
Elevation Aerial Application provides drone spraying services to grain, orchard and vineyard producers across Virginia. The company is equipped for steep-terrain orchard and vineyard applications in the Blue Ridge foothills and Appalachian highlands, as well as flat-ground corn and soybean fungicide programs in the Piedmont and Tidewater regions.
Winchester sits in Frederick County with a population of approximately 28,078 (US Census Bureau Places).
Northern Shenandoah Valley; Frederick County is among the top US apple-producing counties.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soybeans | 0 | $12 to $18 | Jul to Sep |
| Corn | 0 | $12 to $18 | Jul to Aug |
| Wheat | 0 | $12 to $16 | May to Jun |
Rate ranges from national crop benchmarks. Virginia statewide range: $16 to $26/acre. Estimate your job →
Commercial agricultural drone application in Virginia requires the federal FAA Part 137 certificate plus Category 11: Aerial Pesticide Application from Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS). 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 Virginia and federally.
Use the spray cost calculator to model Winchester jobs against the $16 to $26/acre state range. Pin down acres, target crop (most Winchester jobs are soybeans), and whether you need application only or chemical-included pricing.
Confirm the operator holds FAA Part 107, FAA Part 137 and Category 11: Aerial Pesticide Application. 0 of 0 Winchester operators in this directory list Part 137. Ask for a copy of their certificate and state license number before signing.
Soybeans treatment in Virginia typically lands in the Jul to Sep window. Demand spikes in peak season, so contact 2 to 3 of the Winchester 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 Winchester typically runs $16 to $26/acre, in line with the broader Virginia 2026 benchmark. Application-only rates exclude chemical, and quotes vary based on field size, terrain and crop. Soybeans jobs in Virginia 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.
Winchester does not yet have an operator listed at the city level, but 25 drone operators cover Virginia statewide and most can serve Winchester 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 Winchester, list your business free to anchor this page.
Any operator booking commercial drone pesticide application over Winchester 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 Pesticide Application from Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS). Confirm all three before any application; many operators also carry NDAA Section 848 compliance for cost-share eligible work.