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.
Source : missouri.edu