Agricultural Drone Price: Models, Kits and Buy vs Hire

A working agricultural spray drone costs about $25,000 to $35,000 as a flight-ready kit in recent US dealer listings, and heavy-lift or US-built models run from about $45,000 to $86,000. The bare aircraft is cheaper, but batteries and chargers add roughly $6,000 to $16,000. Mapping drones with a multispectral camera cost far less, but they only scout; they do not spray.

This guide lists dated prices for the main models, says whether each figure is a list price, a dealer quote or a reported starting price, and shows what drives the agricultural drone price up or down. It also covers the cost of hiring a drone service instead, with a calculator that finds the acreage where owning starts to pay.

Agricultural drone price at a glance

The table gives one price per model with its basis and date. Prices are in US dollars unless marked. Taxes, freight, training and certification are extra.

None of these is an auction result. Used units sell for less, but they often come without batteries. Ask any seller for a written quote that lists the battery count and charger.

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Spray drone prices by model and package

US dollars; dealer list prices and quotes, 2025-2026 (AG-272 converted from C$117,100)

How we checked the numbers

We used prices that name a model, a date and what is in the box. For DJI and EAVision we used a 2026 dealer price guide by Grab A Robot, which compiles authorized-dealer listings. For Hylio we used an itemised quote filed with the Nebraska Public Service Commission and the same site’s Hylio guide. For service prices and market size we used the American Spray Drone Coalition’s 2025 Impact Survey, published in January 2026.

We left out the model table in the old version of this page. Its four models had made-up names and prices, so we replaced them with real products. We also removed claims of 20 to 50% input savings and 15% yield gains that had no source.

Agricultural spray drone prices by model

Here are the models farmers in the US, Canada and Australia ask about most, from the lowest kit price to the highest.

1. DJI Agras T50

Best for: row-crop farms and custom operators that already own DJI drones.

The T50 sells for about $17,999 to $19,000 as aircraft and remote, and about $24,662 as a ready-to-fly kit, per the 2026 Grab A Robot guide. The guide notes that the gap of about $6,000 is “entirely batteries, charging, and accessories.” Its older sibling, the T40, has appeared from the mid-$20,000s to about $34,000 ready to fly.

Watch out: On 22 December 2025 the US Federal Communications Commission added foreign-made drones and their key parts to its Covered List. As Commercial UAV News reported, this blocks new authorizations for new models but does not stop the sale or use of models the FCC approved before. Expect fewer new DJI models and tighter supply of parts in the US. Rules differ in Canada, the UK, the EU and Australia.

2. EAVision J100 and J150

Best for: orchards, vineyards and uneven ground, where terrain-following matters.

US dealer checkout prices on 5 August 2026 were $21,999 for the J100 airframe, $32,995 to $33,995 for flight-ready packages, and $40,495 for the J150. Grab A Robot’s EAVision guide warns that the $8,000 to $15,000 figure seen online is a free-on-board factory price, not what a farmer pays once the drone has landed. It also found that the battery and charger make up 27.3% of the machine’s cost.

3. Hylio ARES, ATLAS and AG-272

Best for: buyers who want a US-built drone for public contracts, or who are worried about import rules.

Hylio builds its drones in Texas. The Nebraska filing shows a full HYL-150 ARES quote: a $44,450 base price, plus a $1,500 RTK system, a 50 L spray system, an 80 L spreader system, a $1,450 spare-parts kit, two chargers at $2,750 each and four batteries at $2,550 each. The total came to $67,150, with a 50% deposit. A 2022 Farm Credit article put Hylio drone prices at $18,040 to $69,500, with kits extra. A Canadian dealer list showed the heavy-lift AG-272 at C$117,100, or about $86,000.

4. XAG P100 Pro

Best for: farms that also want a spreader for seed and granular fertilizer.

XAG lists a 50 L smart liquid tank. We found no current US list price we could confirm, so ask dealers for a dated written quote, including batteries and chargers. XAG has a wider dealer network in Australia and the UK.

5. Mapping drones with multispectral cameras

Best for: scouting crop health, counting stands and making zone maps.

These drones carry a camera, not a tank, so they are a different purchase. They cost a fraction of a sprayer, but you also need mapping software. If your main goal is a regular crop-health map, compare the cost with satellite monitoring, which covers whole farms without anyone flying.

Why spray drone prices vary so much

A few items explain most of the spread in an agricultural drone price list.

• Tank size. Bigger tanks need bigger motors, frames and batteries. A 10 L Hylio AG-210 lists at about C$35,300; the 68 L AG-272 lists at C$117,100.
• Batteries and charging. A spray day needs several batteries cycling through a fast charger, often run from a generator. In the Hylio quote, batteries and chargers came to $15,700, about 23% of the total.
• RTK positioning. Centimetre-level positioning keeps swaths straight and costs about $1,500 on the Hylio quote.
• Where it is made. US-built drones cost more than imported ones of a similar size. Import rules can change what is on sale.
• Spreaders and spare parts. Granular spreaders, a second tank and a parts kit add a few thousand dollars.
• Support. A local dealer who can fix a drone mid-season is worth paying for.

▶ How satellites, AI and drones are changing the way farms grow food. · 13:27

Running costs after you buy

The sticker price is only the start. Plan for these costs every year.

• Insurance. Premiums for a single-drone operator certified under Part 137 have settled at about $3,000 to $10,000 or more a year, according to the Ag Drone Directory’s 2026 market report, depending on chemical liability limits and state.
• Batteries. Packs wear out and are among the most costly parts. EAVision’s catalogue shows the battery and charger at over a quarter of the drone’s value.
• Certification. In the US you need a Remote Pilot Certificate, drone registration, an exemption and a Part 137 certificate to spray. The FAA’s Part 137 drone page sets out these steps, and the FAA now checks that exemption holders follow their conditions.
• Pesticide licences. Most states, provinces and countries also need an applicator licence. Always check the label and your local rules before spraying.
• Labour and transport. A crew of one or two, a truck and a mixing setup.

Agricultural drone price vs hiring a spray service

Many farms hire a drone service instead of buying. According to the American Spray Drone Coalition’s 2025 Impact Survey, the average US drone spray service charged $13 per acre in 2025, down from $21 in 2024, as more operators joined the market. US drones treated 16.4 million acres in 2025, up from 10.3 million in 2024 and 3.7 million in 2023.

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US cropland treated by spray drones

Million acres per year

New US drone sales fell from 8,950 units in 2024 to 3,711 in 2025, even as treated acres rose. Existing fleets are flying more. The coalition was set up in 2024 to oppose bans on Chinese drones, and its figures come from distributor surveys, so read them with that in mind.

A 2022 Farm Credit article quoted one grower who said he saved up to $12 an acre on aerial application by spraying rice and hay himself. Another source in the same piece said three drones could be bought for $100,000 or less, against about a quarter of a million dollars for a ground spray rig. Your own numbers will differ, so test them below. If you buy, ask dealers and farm lenders about leasing or financing, which spreads the cost over several seasons.

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Average US drone spray service price

US dollars per acre

Buy or hire: find your break-even acreage

Owning pays when the per-acre saving against a hired service covers the yearly cost of the drone. Enter your own quote, years of use, yearly fixed costs, your own cost per acre and the local hire rate.

Try the numbers for your own farm below.

How to choose a spray drone

1. Count your acres and jobs. List the passes you would fly each year: fungicide, insecticide, cover-crop seeding, top-dressing. If the total is small, a service may beat ownership.
2. Match the tank to the field. Small, broken fields and orchards suit 20 to 40 L drones. Large flat fields suit 50 L and above.
3. Price the full kit. Ask for the number of batteries, the charger, RTK, spare parts and training on one written quote.
4. Check support. Ask how fast the dealer can replace a motor or a battery in peak season.
5. Check the rules. Confirm the model is approved for sale where you farm, and plan the time and cost of certification.
6. Plan the data side. Decide how you will find the problem areas to spray. A satellite crop-health map can show which zones need a drone pass.

▶ Six plain steps to start precision farming, with or without a drone. · 4:18

Drones, ground sprayers and satellites

Drones are not the only way to cut chemical use. Camera-equipped ground sprayers spray only the weeds they see. In an Iowa State University demonstration on five soybean fields, precision spraying cut herbicide use by 76% on average, worth about $15.7 per acre. Savings depended on how many weeds were present.

Drones and other aerial tools are still a small part of US farming. The USDA Economic Research Service found that variable-rate technology is much more common than drones and other aerial-based technologies on US crop farms.

For scouting, satellites fill the gaps between drone flights. Farmonaut, a US-based company, offers the Farmonaut Satellite + AI Farm Monitoring System, which maps crop health across whole farms every few days so you can send a drone or a scout only where it is needed. Developers can pull the same data through the satellite API.

FAQ

How much is an agricultural drone?

A flight-ready spray drone kit costs about $25,000 to $35,000 in recent US dealer listings. A bare DJI Agras T50 airframe lists from about $17,999. US-built heavy-lift drones range from about $45,000 to $86,000 or more. These are list prices and dealer quotes; auction results for used units are lower.

How much does a fertilizer or seeding drone cost?

Most spray drones take a granular spreader as an add-on, so the price is the drone kit plus the spreader. Expect a few thousand dollars on top of the kit price. Always check fertilizer and seed rates against product labels and local advice.

Is it cheaper to hire a drone service?

On small acreages, often yes. US drone services averaged $13 per acre in 2025, per the American Spray Drone Coalition. Use the calculator above to find the acreage at which your own drone would break even.

What are the costs and ROI of agriculture drones?

Costs include the kit, batteries, insurance at about $3,000 to $10,000 a year, certification, labour and repairs. Returns come from avoided hire fees, timelier spraying and lower chemical use where spot spraying is possible. Payback depends on acres flown each year. This is not financial advice; check figures with your own adviser.

Can I still buy a DJI agricultural drone in the US?

Models the FCC authorized before 22 December 2025 can still be sold and used. New foreign-made models cannot get FCC authorization unless the US government grants an exemption. Ask your dealer which models and parts remain available.

Does Farmonaut sell drones?

No. Farmonaut provides satellite crop monitoring, which shows where crops are stressed so you can plan drone or ground work.

Related pages on our site: precision agriculture tools, agriculture web applications, farming drone costs and benefits, drone and satellite trends in California, large-farm management app, fleet management, carbon footprinting, product traceability, crop loan and insurance checks, API developer docs, satellite API and the web app.