Pricing · Drone spraying cost
How much does drone spraying cost in WA?
Broadacre drone spraying starts from $35/ha, about $14 an acre. Steep, rough, horticultural and rehab work is quoted per job, and travel is quoted with every job and shared when neighbours book together. Here is what goes into a price, so you know what to expect before you ring.
From $35/ha on open broadacre · everything else quoted per job
Drone spraying cost: what we charge
Open broadacre
From $35/ha (about $14/acre) for herbicide, fungicide and insecticide on open cropping country.
Spreading and seeding
Quoted per job, based on the product, the rate per hectare and the area.
Vineyards and orchards
Quoted per job. Higher water rates and slower flying along rows change the price.
Rehab, councils and rough country
Quoted per job or by the hour, depending on terrain, access and hazards.
Travel
Quoted with each job. Book with neighbours on the same run and split it.
Mapping
Aerial, paddock and spray maps are a paid extra, quoted on the area mapped.
What affects your price
- Terrain: open, flat paddocks fly fastest; steep, timbered or broken country takes longer.
- Paddock shape and obstacles: powerlines, trees, dams and buildings slow the job down.
- Water rate: our listed pricing is based on 25 L/ha, and most broadacre work runs at 20–30 L/ha. Higher rates mean more refills, so they are done by quotation.
- Job size: bigger programs make better use of each day on site.
- Travel and timing: distance from Perth, and whether your job can be grouped with others nearby.
- Water access: clean water close to the paddock keeps the drone in the air.
What the price includes
- Setting up the flight plan around paddock boundaries and hazards.
- Mixing and loading from our 4,500 L tender.
- Application at your label rate, with the product you supply.
- An application record after the job. Maps are a paid extra.
Drone, ground rig or plane?
Per hectare, a drone usually costs more than running your own boom spray, and on big, dry, open paddocks it isn’t trying to replace it. A drone earns its keep where the alternative costs more:
- Wet paddocks: no bogged rigs, no recovery bills and no lost days waiting for the ground to dry.
- Wheel tracks: a mid-season ground pass typically costs about 2.5% of yield in the tracks alone, which on most crops is more than the extra cost of the drone. On high-yielding canola, even an early pass can be.
- Missed windows: when planes are booked out, weeds and disease that get away cost more than the spray.
- Awkward country: small or odd-shaped paddocks, steep ground, and areas near powerlines, trees and houses.
A worked example: 150 ha of open wheat near Northam, in-crop herbicide at 25 L/ha, is 150 × $35 = $5,250, plus travel quoted up front. If two neighbours book the same week, the travel is split three ways.
You supply the product and access to clean water. We bring the drone, the tender and the mixing setup.
FAQ
Common questions
How much does drone spraying cost per hectare?
From $35/ha (about $14/acre) on open broadacre. Steep, rough, horticultural and rehab work is quoted per job.
How is travel charged?
Travel is quoted with each job, based on distance from Perth. Neighbours who book the same run share it.
Do you supply the chemical?
No. You supply the product and access to clean water. We only apply products whose label or APVMA permit allows aerial application.
Is a drone cheaper than a plane?
It depends on the job. On large, open paddocks a plane can be cheaper per hectare. A drone often comes out ahead on smaller or irregular paddocks, near obstacles, with no airstrip nearby, or when planes are booked out. We give you a firm quote to compare.
How do I get a quote?
Ring or text Josh on 0489 141 690, or use the quote form. Tell us the location, hectares, product and rate, and when you need it done.
Services
Broadacre crop spraying
Herbicide, fungicide and insecticide by drone.
Find out more
Summer weed control
Knock out summer weeds and save moisture for next season.
Find out more
Spreading and seeding
Urea, granular fertiliser and seed by drone.
Find out more
Vineyards and orchards
Fungicide and nutrient sprays without tractors in the rows.
Find out more
Mine site rehabilitation
Seeding and weed control on batters and rehab areas.
Find out more
Where we work
Perth-based, working from Geraldton to Esperance. Further afield by arrangement.
Ready to book a job?
Ring or text Josh, or send your paddock details and we'll come back with a price and dates.