Richland, WA
Described as one of the largest drone service providers in WA state (WheatLife); covers ~30 ac/hr; active in cherry drying and beneficial insect deployment
Operator states: FAA Part 107
Drone Spraying
Price on request
Drone Spraying in Washington: Licensing, Rates & Operators (2026)
By Eugen Manoli, Founder and Editor · Updated
Washington has no standalone aerial applicator category, making it the simplest licensing pathway in the West: just Laws and Safety plus a use category exam. WSDA published drone-specific guidance confirming drones are legal wherever airblast is legal. Rates run $14 to $28 per acre across 175K acres of apples and cherries, 60K acres of wine grapes and 2.1 million acres of wheat.
Drone operators serving Washington
Yakima, WA
Yakima, WA · Parabug biocontrol release + spray + Firman pollen testing
Austin Drone Solutions opened in 2025 and has covered over 2,500 acres across Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Their partnership with Parabug allows them to release beneficial insects via a patent-pending drone release system, implemented on their DJI Agras T25, making them one of the rare ag drone operators in the Pacific Northwest offering biocontrol services. They also provide spraying and spreading services on almost all crops and pasture ground using a DJI Agras T50, and are currently testing pollen applications at 10 GPA with Firman Pollen. Their trailer mixes up to 175 gallons per batch and carries 550 gallons of fresh water.
Operator states: FAA Part 137
$15 to $30/acre
3K ac
Washington (serves ), ID
All team members are FAA licensed pilots and licensed applicators in Idaho. Also works with government conservation and wildlife agencies.
Operator states: FAA Part 137, FAA Part 107
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingFertilizer Application
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
Salinas, CA
Major ag retailer with 5M-acre annual application footprint; exclusive Guardian Agriculture SC1 eVTOL partnership; actively hiring drone pilots in CA
Operator states: FAA Part 137, FAA Part 107
Drone Spraying
Price on request
Harrisburg, OR
DJI Agras drone distributor for the western US with 5 Oregon dealer locations (Harrisburg, Hillsboro, Madras, Rickreall, Woodburn) plus dealers across 7 western states
Pilot TrainingEquipment Sales
Price on request
Cle Elum, WA
Boutique owner-operated PNW aerial application company; Part 137 certified with WSDA/ODA commercial applicator licenses; specializes in terrain difficult for ground equipment
Operator states: FAA Part 137, FAA Part 107
Price on request
Union Gap/Yakima, WA; Wenatchee, WA; Hood River, WA
Family-owned Yakima ag consulting/supply business using drones primarily for beneficial insect release in orchards; partners with M3 AgTech and Parabug
Operator states: FAA Part 137, FAA Part 107
Aerial MappingEquipment Rental
Price on request
Omak, WA
Pioneered first commercial sterile insect release via drone in US; treats 4,000+ acres of WA tree fruit; 40% higher recapture rate vs ground; partners with Colville Confederated Tribes
Operator states: FAA Part 107
Equipment Rental
Price on request
Seattle, WA
First FAA approval for drone swarm spraying operations; acquired Cal Forest Nurseries (CA) and Silvaseed (WA); largest private seed supplier west of Colorado; vertically integrated reforestation
Operator states: FAA Part 137
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingAerial Mapping
Price on request
Issaquah, WA
Issaquah ag drone analytics company; 93+ flights in WA; 7M+ tree-level assessments delivered; partnership with Outfield Technologies (UK) for BVLOS
Operator states: FAA Part 107
Aerial Mapping
Price on request
Drone-based vegetation management company serving multiple Washington counties. Listed on Yakima County official noxious weed control contractors page. Uses AI-powered drone imaging for mapping and targeted spraying.
Drone SprayingCover Crop SeedingAerial Mapping
Price on request
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19
Listed operators
$14 to $28/acre
Rate range / acre
Apples/Cherries
Top crop
Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA)
Licensing agency
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Drone spraying licensing in Washington
Aerial category
No standalone aerial category. Certify in relevant use category + Laws and Safety exam.
Laws and Safety + use category (2 exams minimum). $25 paper or $58 computer. License $250/yr.
Renewal & CE
5-year cycle
Approved CE courses or re-exam per 5-year cycle.
Washington is the simplest aerial licensing state in the West. WSDA does not maintain a standalone aerial category, drone operators certify in the relevant use category (agricultural, right-of-way, etc.) plus the Laws and Safety exam, for a minimum of 2 exams total. Exam fees are $25 for paper or $58 for computer-based testing. The annual commercial license is $250. A WSDA Certification and Training rule change effective January 1, 2026 updated exam categories and study manuals.
WSDA published dedicated drone guidance confirming that drones are legal wherever airblast application is legal. Washington maintains the most extensive reciprocal licensing chart among all states. Renewal is on a 5-year cycle with approved CE courses or re-exam.
Washington-specific rules operators must know
- •No standalone aerial category; simplest licensing pathway in the West.
- •WSDA published dedicated drone guidance confirming drones legal wherever airblast is legal.
- •Certification and Training rule change effective January 1, 2026 updated exam categories.
- •Most extensive reciprocal licensing chart among all states.
Reciprocity states
OR, ID, MT, ND, NE, MN
Top crops for drone spraying in Washington
Drone spraying guides by crop in Washington
Region
Great Plains
Washington is part of the Great Plains agricultural region. See rates, crops and operators across the region.
Drone spraying in Washington, frequently asked questions
WSDA does not maintain a standalone aerial category. Drone operators certify in the relevant use category (agricultural, right-of-way, etc.) plus Laws and Safety, making the minimum just 2 exams versus 3 or more in most states.
Wheat runs $14 to $18 per acre. Apple and cherry orchards run $20 to $28. Wine grapes $18 to $25. The range reflects the mix of flat Palouse wheat and steep hillside tree fruit.
Yes. WSU surveys report 95% of apple growers are interested in drone spraying. Hillside blocks in the Wenatchee and Okanogan valleys are the primary opportunity. Dense mid-season canopy on mature trees still benefits from supplemental airblast.
Yes. The WSDA Certification and Training rule change effective January 1, 2026 updated exam categories and study materials. New licensees after that date take updated exams with new manuals.
Yes, the most extensive reciprocal chart among all states. Check WSDA online tool for specific category recognition by state.
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