These agricultural drone figures cover the measurement periods and populations identified in the available source material. Estimates, surveys and forecasts retain their reported scope.
Key Agricultural Drone Statistics
The main findings are:
- About 25% of surveyed Eastern South Dakota producers adopted a UAV (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers).
- Pigeon-pea UAV field capacity was 2.62 hectares per hour (2024-2025 experiment; Pigeon pea field, India).
- Phantom 4 v2 initial cost was $4,391 (2021 case reported in 2026 paper; Agricultural UAV imagery operation, U.S.).
- UAV imagery was used by 18% of surveyed producers (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers).
- Pigeon-pea UAV field efficiency was 60.64% (2024-2025 experiment; Pigeon pea field, India).
- The cited case allocated $2,616 to equipment (2021 case reported in 2026 paper; Agricultural UAV imagery operation, U.S.).
- UAV input application was used by 13% of surveyed producers (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers).
- Pigeon-pea UAV rate was 77.86 liters per hectare (2024-2025 experiment; Pigeon pea field, India).
- The cited case allocated $1,000 to software (2021 case reported in 2026 paper; Agricultural UAV imagery operation, U.S.).
- Imagery-only use was 11% of surveyed producers (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers).
- Pigeon-pea drift extended up to 4 meters (2024-2025 experiment; Pigeon pea field, India).
- The cited case estimated $2,685 annual operating cost (2021 case reported in 2026 paper; Agricultural UAV imagery operation, U.S.).
- Both-purpose use was 7% of surveyed producers (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers).
- Deposition was negligible after 2 meters (2024-2025 experiment; Pigeon pea field, India).
- The cited case estimated $52 additional cost per flight (2021 case reported in 2026 paper; Agricultural UAV imagery operation, U.S.).
Contents
- Key Agricultural Drone Statistics
- How widely farmers are adopting agricultural drones
- Spray performance, operating scale and drift measurements
- Measured agricultural drone costs and service economics
How widely farmers are adopting agricultural drones
- About 25% of surveyed Eastern South Dakota producers adopted a UAV (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- UAV imagery was used by 18% of surveyed producers (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- UAV input application was used by 13% of surveyed producers (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- Imagery-only use was 11% of surveyed producers (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- Both-purpose use was 7% of surveyed producers (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- Input-only use was 6% of surveyed producers (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- Among dual-purpose adopters, 69% owned a drone (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- Among dual-purpose adopters, 32% purchased service (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- Among dual-purpose adopters, 7% rented a drone (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- Imagery adoption within three years was 8% (2025; Eastern South Dakota farmers). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
Survey estimate for the named population; not a census.
Spray performance, operating scale and drift measurements
- Pigeon-pea UAV field capacity was 2.62 hectares per hour (2024-2025 experiment; Pigeon pea field, India). (Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips)
- Pigeon-pea UAV field efficiency was 60.64% (2024-2025 experiment; Pigeon pea field, India). (Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips)
- Pigeon-pea UAV rate was 77.86 liters per hectare (2024-2025 experiment; Pigeon pea field, India). (Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips)
- Pigeon-pea drift extended up to 4 meters (2024-2025 experiment; Pigeon pea field, India). (Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips)
- Deposition was negligible after 2 meters (2024-2025 experiment; Pigeon pea field, India). (Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips)
- Best pigeon-pea performance used 1.5 meters flight height (2024-2025 experiment; Pigeon pea field, India). (Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips)
- Best pigeon-pea performance used 2 meters per second (2024-2025 experiment; Pigeon pea field, India). (Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips)
- Top-canopy pigeon-pea coverage was 10.53% (2024-2025 experiment; Pigeon pea field, India). (Effect of operational parameters on spray performance and drift characteristics of a UAV-based agrochemical application in pigeon pea crop to control thrips)
Crop-, equipment-, formulation- and setting-specific trial; not a universal benchmark.
Measured agricultural drone costs and service economics
- Phantom 4 v2 initial cost was $4,391 (2021 case reported in 2026 paper; Agricultural UAV imagery operation, U.S.). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- The cited case allocated $2,616 to equipment (2021 case reported in 2026 paper; Agricultural UAV imagery operation, U.S.). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- The cited case allocated $1,000 to software (2021 case reported in 2026 paper; Agricultural UAV imagery operation, U.S.). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- The cited case estimated $2,685 annual operating cost (2021 case reported in 2026 paper; Agricultural UAV imagery operation, U.S.). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- The cited case estimated $52 additional cost per flight (2021 case reported in 2026 paper; Agricultural UAV imagery operation, U.S.). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- A dealer crew setup was estimated at $62,000 (2024 dealer survey reported in 2026 paper; UAV agricultural service dealers, U.S.). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
- The same dealer crew had $13,000 monthly variable costs (2024 dealer survey reported in 2026 paper; UAV agricultural service dealers, U.S.). (Drones for Imagery vs. Input Application: Farmer Adoption and Perceived Profit)
Historical case estimate; not a 2026 universal price.
Survey estimate for the named population; not a census.