Economics of drone ownership for agricultural spraying

NOVELTY, Mo. — As the growing season approaches, many growers will consider using drones to spray their fields.

A new University of Missouri Extension publication, “Economics of Drone Ownership for Agricultural Spray Applications,” introduces cost-estimating tools for farmers and custom operators interested in investing in drones for spray applications.

In a press release, Adauto Rocha, Jr., assistant extension professor in MU’s Division of Applied Social Sciences, said, “These tools enable producers to calculate their own drone application costs based on their specific circumstances, helping them make informed decisions about whether drone ownership or contracting out spray services is more cost-effective.”

The publication provides a detailed analysis of the costs associated with owning and operating drones for agricultural spray applications, with a focus on the Agras T40 model. The study evaluates both ownership and operating costs per acre for farmers and custom operators, considering factors like depreciation, interest, maintenance, labor and battery costs.

The findings suggest that for farmers spraying 1,000 acres a year, the total cost per acre for drone applications is about $12.27. This contrasts with custom hire rates, which are typically around $16 per acre. Based on these calculations, owning a drone could be cost-effective for farms spraying at least 980 acres annually. However, for custom operators spraying 4,000 acres annually, the cost per acre is around $7.39.

Battery replacement contributes significantly to the overall expense of drone operations. The study emphasizes that ownership costs such as depreciation, interest and battery replacement constitute the largest part of the total cost per acre. This highlights that the feasibility of drone ownership largely depends on the scale of operations and the number of acres sprayed annually.

Overall, the study offers insights into how drones can offer significant savings for large-scale farming operations, but it also underscores the importance of considering all associated costs when evaluating this technology.

The publication was developed by MU Agricultural Business and Policy Extension in collaboration with the MU Lee Greenley Jr. Memorial Research Farm in Novelty.

“Economics of Drone Ownership for Agricultural Spray Applications” is available for free download at https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g1274.