It varies a lot. NZ operators report about 3–4 hectares an hour on gorse and other woody weeds, and up to about 10–15 hectares an hour for large drones on open, easy work. One vendor puts a good broadacre day at 40–60 hectares.
The biggest factors are how much water per hectare the job needs, how far the drone flies to refill, and whether it’s spot spraying or blanket cover. Be wary of any single headline number.
We’re independent: we don’t fly or sell drones. These are published claims from people who do, labelled by who made them.
What NZ sources report
Indicative only. Actual cost and productivity depend on area, terrain, application rate, access, travel, weather and operator.
Per day: DroneTrust Vendor gives “40–60 hectares (depending on terrain, paddock layout, and your setup)” for broadacre work. Overseas dealers sometimes quote up to about 12 ha/h for the DJI T100, but we found no NZ-measured figure for it, and DJI’s own spec page doesn’t give one.
Why the tank and water rate matter so much
A drone sprays until the tank or battery runs out, then returns to refill. The water rate decides how far each tank goes. This is simple arithmetic from manufacturer tank sizes, not a performance claim:
| Water rate | DJI T50 (40 L tank) | DJI T100 (100 L tank) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 L/ha | about 2 ha per tank | about 5 ha per tank |
| 50 L/ha | about 0.8 ha per tank | about 2 ha per tank |
| 100 L/ha | about 0.4 ha per tank | about 1 ha per tank |
Tank sizes from DJI T50 specs and DJI T100 specs Manufacturer. A dual-battery T100 version released in 2026 has a 90 L tank. In practice operators may not fill completely, especially on steep ground.
So a job at 100 L/ha can mean five times as many refill stops as one at 20 L/ha. Dense gorse usually needs higher rates than a light pasture spray. The product label sets the minimum water rate.
What slows a drone down
- Water rate: more litres per hectare means more refills.
- Refill distance: the further the drone flies back to the trailer, the less time it spends spraying.
- Battery turnaround: each load needs a battery swap. Crews need enough charged batteries, or a generator, to keep going.
- Terrain: steep, broken country is slower and may need more manual flying.
- Paddock shape: long, regular blocks are quicker than small or odd-shaped ones.
- Obstacles: trees, shelter belts, power lines and buildings slow the work.
- Spot vs blanket: finding and treating scattered weeds is much slower than covering a paddock.
- Weather: wind stops work, and short weather windows cut productive hours.
- Moving between sites: travel and set-up between blocks is time not spraying.
Three examples
Illustrations only, using the reported rates above and an assumed number of productive flying hours. Real days vary with weather, set-up and travel.
At 3–4 ha an hour
If the crew managed 5 productive hours, that’s roughly 15–20 ha. Steep faces and scattered bushes can make it less.
Plan for a slow, careful job.
At 3–10 ha an hour
Moving between small sites eats into the day, so the low end is common when blocks are spread out.
Grouping nearby jobs helps.
40–60 ha a day
A vendor’s figure for good conditions with a large drone and a well-set-up crew.
Much bigger areas may suit a helicopter or ground rig.
Indicative only. Actual cost and productivity depend on area, terrain, application rate, access, travel, weather and operator.
Is a drone fast enough for your job?
Usually fast enough when…
• The area is tens of hectares, not hundreds
• The work is spot spraying or awkward ground where nothing else is quick either
• You have some flexibility on timing
• There’s water and a take-off spot close to the work
Probably not when…
• You have hundreds of hectares of open country to cover quickly
• The label needs a high water rate over a large area
• The weather window is short and the job is big
• The block is far from water and access
For comparison, a helicopter operator says a helicopter “can spray dozens of hectares in a single load” (Central Heliwork) Operator. Helicopter hourly output isn’t published in a way we can compare fairly. See Drone vs helicopter vs ground spraying.
What to ask an operator
- How many hectares a day do you expect on my block, at what water rate?
- Will you spot spray or blanket spray, and why?
- Where will you refill and take off from?
- How many batteries do you run, and do you bring a generator?
- Is your price per hectare or per hour, and is there a minimum?
Not sure whether a drone is right for your job? Tell us what you need done and we’ll help connect you with suitable operators.
Related: Drone vs helicopter vs ground spraying · What does drone spraying cost? · Spraying gorse on steep country · All farm drone guides
Sources
- Manufacturer DJI Agras T100 specifications; DJI Agras T50 specifications
- Operator Drone Spray NZ: FAQs
- Operator Agrodrone: Precision drone technology transforms agricultural spraying (Scoop, 23 Jan 2026)
- Operator Central Heliwork: Helicopters or drones for crop spraying? (16 Sep 2025)
- Vendor DroneTrust: How to start an agricultural drone business in NZ (14 Oct 2025)
- Vendor Aerolab: A typical agricultural spray drone job in NZ (10 Oct 2024)
- Media Farmers Weekly: Bigger drones rise to meet crop spraying challenge (7 Aug 2024)
General information only. Figures are published claims for particular conditions, checked September 2026.