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For comparison, the avg piloted spray plane can do about 200 acres/hr, with a running cost of $1200/hr which is $6/acre. https://www.agairupdate.com/how-much-d

For comparison, the avg piloted spray plane can do about 200 acres/hr, with a running cost of $1200/hr which is $6/acre. https://www.agairupdate.com/how-much-does-it-cost/ https://www.agairupdate.com/how-much-does-it-cost/ An acre of cash crop is has gross value of $500-700. https://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2018/08/corn-soybean-budgets-2018-2019.html https://farmdocdaily.illinois.edu/2018/08/corn-soybean-budge...

aurelwu 6y ago
The upper value of 12acres/hr for $150/hr translates into $12,5/acre, which isn't too far off for an emerging technology if the value is accurate.
ponker 6y ago
Looks like the thing that makes it economical is the size, at which point the pilot is a small cost.
snovv_crash 6y ago
If regulations require pest/herbicide to be below certain concentrations per acre, a blanket application is often insufficient. Targeted application by drone makes it a) actually work at all under stricter regulations and b) can be placed only on the areas that need it, so it actually is cost competitive with blanket application despite being more expensive per acre.
- jcims 6y ago
  I will pull up a chair and watch the fields near me get sprayed for an hour. It’s like a free air show. That said, in ten years this will probably be all drones. The ability to do precision dosing, safely fly a few feet above the target, lower noise, lower capital investment, no need for commercial pilot, little to no overspray, high automation potential, simultaneous high resolution monitoring, etc etc etc. Big limitation now are the meager payloads and flight times. Drone delivery is going to open up the market for manufacturers to start pumping out drones that meet that demand and it’s going to be mothballs for the old guard in quite a few places. Hopefully companies like Air Tractor get on board and adapt their product lines, they have way too much valuable experience.

aurelwu 6y ago

The upper value of 12acres/hr for $150/hr translates into $12,5/acre, which isn't too far off for an emerging technology if the value is accurate.

ponker 6y ago

Looks like the thing that makes it economical is the size, at which point the pilot is a small cost.

snovv_crash 6y ago

If regulations require pest/herbicide to be below certain concentrations per acre, a blanket application is often insufficient. Targeted application by drone makes it a) actually work at all under stricter regulations and b) can be placed only on the areas that need it, so it actually is cost competitive with blanket application despite being more expensive per acre.

jcims 6y ago
I will pull up a chair and watch the fields near me get sprayed for an hour. It’s like a free air show. That said, in ten years this will probably be all drones. The ability to do precision dosing, safely fly a few feet above the target, lower noise, lower capital investment, no need for commercial pilot, little to no overspray, high automation potential, simultaneous high resolution monitoring, etc etc etc. Big limitation now are the meager payloads and flight times. Drone delivery is going to open up the market for manufacturers to start pumping out drones that meet that demand and it’s going to be mothballs for the old guard in quite a few places. Hopefully companies like Air Tractor get on board and adapt their product lines, they have way too much valuable experience.