What Agricultural Drone Services Include
Spraying, spreading, mapping, scouting and support services explained — and how to tell which one your farm actually needs.
Two very different jobs: mapping and application
Agricultural drone work splits into two families. Mapping and crop-intelligence providers fly cameras and sensors to show what is happening in a field. Application providers fly spray or spreader drones that put product onto the crop. They use different aircraft, different credentials and different insurance, so check which family a provider really works in before you request a quote.
Mapping and crop intelligence
Typical services include RGB orthomosaics, multispectral imaging and vegetation-index (NDVI) maps, thermal imaging, stand counts, weed, pest and disease scouting, irrigation and drainage analysis, elevation models and prescription or variable-rate zone maps. The output can be raw images, a processed map or an agronomic interpretation — these are not the same thing and are priced differently.
Liquid and dry application
Spray drones apply herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, liquid fertiliser, desiccants and biologicals, including spot and variable-rate spraying. Spreader drones apply granular fertiliser, cover crop and other seed, and granular products. Drones are strongest on small, wet, hilly, irregular or obstacle-heavy fields, orchards and vineyards, and time-critical spot jobs.
Inspection, assessment and support
Many providers also inspect irrigation infrastructure, fences and grain facilities, document crop damage after storms or floods, and monitor livestock and pasture. A separate group sells, leases, repairs and services agricultural drones, and runs training and certification preparation.
Choosing the right service
Start with the decision you need to make — find a problem, measure it, or treat it. If you need to find or measure, look for mapping providers. If you already know what to apply and where, look for licensed application providers. Our quote form lets you describe the job once and reach several matching providers.
Ready to compare providers?
Describe your project once and get quotes from suitable agricultural drone providers.