Agriculture Drone Price in India (2026 Guide)
Last updated 2026-07-14 · By the CropWings agronomy team
A DGCA type-certified agriculture spraying drone costs about ₹4.5–10 lakh in India: Garuda's 8 L Kisan drone starts near ₹4.5 lakh, while the 10 L Marut AG 365 lists at ₹9.89 lakh. SMAM subsidy covers 40–50% (up to ₹5 lakh), and hiring a drone service costs just ₹400–600 per acre.
Every kharif, spray drones move from cotton in Adilabad and Guntur to chilli in Khammam and paddy across the Godavari delta — and every season more farmers ask the same question: what does an agriculture drone actually cost, and is buying one worth it? This guide covers current prices of DGCA type-certified Indian models (Marut, IoTechWorld, Garuda), imported DJI Agras units, what pushes the price up or down, the subsidies that cut your effective cost, and the honest maths of buying versus hiring — drawn from the CropWings network, which has sprayed 5,00,000+ acres for 1,00,000+ farmers across 200+ districts.
Agriculture drone price list in India (2026)
| Model | Maker | Tank size | Indicative price | DGCA type-certified | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AG 365 S / AG 365 H | Marut Drones (Hyderabad) | 10 L | ₹9.89 lakh list; ₹10–12 lakh with battery bundle | Yes — AG-365S certified in the small category | Multi-utility agri drone; eligible for subsidy and agri-loan financing |
| Agribot A5 / A6 | IoTechWorld Avigation (Gurugram) | 10–16 L | TODO(verify): ₹6.5–8.5 lakh | Yes — Agribot was among India's first type-certified agri drones (2022) | Large deployed fleet; strong presence in government drone programmes |
| Kisan Drone 8 L / 16 L | Garuda Aerospace (Chennai) | 8–16 L | ₹4.5–10 lakh depending on payload | Yes — GA-AG Kisan drone type-certified by DGCA in December 2022 | Lowest entry price among the big Indian brands at the 8 L payload |
| Agras T40 / T50 | DJI (import-restricted) | 40 L | TODO(verify): ₹16.5–20 lakh via Indian resellers | No | CBU/CKD/SKD import of foreign drones banned since 9 Feb 2022; not subsidy-eligible and difficult to register |
| Q-series survey drones | ideaForge (Navi Mumbai) | N/A (mapping payloads, not spray tanks) | TODO(verify): ₹6–12 lakh | Varies by model | Built for crop survey, mapping and scouting rather than spraying |
| Assembled 10 L kits | Various local integrators | 10 L | ₹3.5–5 lakh | Usually not | Cheapest route in, but no subsidy, patchy spares and resale, and compliance risk |
Prices vary with dealer margin, GST treatment, and — most of all — what is bundled: battery count, fast charger, generator, training and first-year service. Two quotes for the "same" drone can differ by ₹1.5 lakh purely on the battery bundle, so always ask for a written quote that lists the number of smart packs included.
What decides the price of a farm drone
- Tank payload: a 10 L tank covers roughly one acre per flight at typical 8–10 L/acre spray volumes; stepping up to 16 L or 20 L means bigger motors, frame and batteries, which is why each payload class costs visibly more.
- Battery count: a full working day of 20–30 acres needs 3–4 smart packs rotating on a fast charger (usually run off a portable generator). Basic 16,000 mAh LiPo packs start around ₹20,000–₹25,000 and last a few hundred charge cycles; TODO(verify): high-capacity smart packs can run up to ₹1,00,000.
- RTK and sensors: RTK-grade positioning, terrain-following radar and obstacle avoidance add cost but matter on undulating fields — think sugarcane tracts of western Maharashtra or orchard country.
- DGCA type certificate: certified models cost more than assembled kits but unlock SMAM subsidy, insurance and legal commercial operation.
- Spraying system: atomising nozzles, pump flow rate and effective swath width (4–6 m is typical) separate a precision sprayer from a basic tank-and-pump rig.
- After-sales network: proximity of service centres and spares availability decide how many spray days you lose mid-season; keep pumps, propellers and nozzles in stock via https://dronestoreindia.com/category/agriculture-drone-spare-parts.
Government subsidy on agriculture drones
| Beneficiary | Assistance | Ceiling |
|---|---|---|
| ICAR institutes, KVKs and State Agricultural Universities (demonstrations) | 100% | ₹10 lakh |
| FPOs (demonstrations on farmers' fields) | 75% | — |
| SC/ST, small and marginal, women and North-Eastern-state farmers | 50% | ₹5 lakh |
| Other farmers | 40% | ₹4 lakh |
| Agriculture graduates setting up Custom Hiring Centres | 50% | ₹5 lakh |
| Women self-help groups (Namo Drone Didi) | 80% | ₹8 lakh |
These slabs come under the Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) and the Namo Drone Didi programme; applications route through your state agriculture department. Subsidy is disbursed only on DGCA type-certified drones, and drone purchases for custom-hiring are additionally eligible for Agriculture Infrastructure Fund term loans with 3% interest subvention. In practice, a general-category farmer buying a ₹8 lakh certified drone can bring the effective cost down to about ₹4 lakh.
Buy a drone or hire a spraying service?
Run the maths before writing a cheque. A 5-acre chilli plot in Khammam sprayed six rounds a season costs about ₹15,000 a year at ₹500 per acre through the CropWings app. A certified drone costs ₹6–10 lakh before batteries, training and insurance — more than a decade of hiring. Ownership only pays when the machine works like a business: a custom-hiring operator covering 2,000–2,500 acres a year at ₹400–600 per acre grosses ₹8–15 lakh, and with subsidy the payback can land within a couple of busy seasons.
| Factor | Buy a drone | Hire via the CropWings app |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | ₹4.5–10 lakh plus batteries, fast charger and generator | ₹0 — pay per acre |
| Per-acre cost | Falls only with 1,500+ acres a season of custom-hiring work | ₹400–600 per acre, pilot and equipment included |
| Licences & compliance | DGCA Remote Pilot Certificate, UIN registration on Digital Sky | Handled by the certified pilot |
| Maintenance | Pumps, propellers, nozzles; battery replacement after a few hundred cycles | None |
| Best for | CHCs, FPOs and rural entrepreneurs with assured acreage | Individual farmers up to ~50 acres |
Where to buy — and where to hire
Buying: dronestoreindia.com, CropWings' commerce arm, stocks agriculture drones (https://dronestoreindia.com/category/agriculture-drones), smart batteries (https://dronestoreindia.com/category/drone-batteries) and spare parts (https://dronestoreindia.com/category/agriculture-drone-spare-parts). Hiring: book a certified pilot on the CropWings app at ₹400–600 per acre. Operations are deepest in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra; in other states, service runs via the CropWings pilot network, subject to pilot availability in your district — check the app for live coverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the price of a 10-litre agriculture drone in India?
A 10 L DGCA type-certified spraying drone typically costs ₹6–10 lakh: Marut's AG 365 lists at ₹9.89 lakh, while IoTechWorld's Agribot sits in a similar certified band. Garuda's smaller 8 L Kisan drone starts around ₹4.5 lakh. Non-certified assembled 10 L kits run cheaper but do not qualify for SMAM subsidy and are harder to insure, service and resell.
How much government subsidy do farmers get to buy a Kisan drone?
Under SMAM, general-category farmers get 40% up to ₹4 lakh; SC/ST, small and marginal, women and North-Eastern-state farmers get 50% up to ₹5 lakh. Women self-help groups under Namo Drone Didi get 80% up to ₹8 lakh, and FPO demonstrations attract 75%. Apply through your state agriculture department. The drone must be DGCA type-certified to claim subsidy.
Is the DJI Agras T40 or T50 legal to buy in India?
India prohibited import of foreign drones in ready-built (CBU/CKD/SKD) form from 9 February 2022 to promote Made-in-India drones; only components may be imported freely. TODO(verify): some resellers still quote the Agras T40 around ₹16.5 lakh and the T50 around ₹20 lakh. Either way, imported Agras units are not DGCA type-certified, so they are ineligible for subsidy and difficult to register and operate legally.
How many batteries does a spray drone need in a day, and what do they cost?
A full spraying day of 20–30 acres typically needs 3–4 smart battery sets rotating on a fast charger, usually powered by a portable generator at the field edge. Basic 16,000 mAh LiPo packs start around ₹20,000–₹25,000, and packs last a few hundred charge cycles before replacement; TODO(verify): high-capacity smart packs can cost up to ₹1,00,000. Budget batteries before you budget the drone — replacements are stocked at dronestoreindia.com.
Is it cheaper to buy a drone or hire drone spraying for a 5-acre farm?
Hire. A 5-acre chilli or cotton plot sprayed six rounds a season costs about ₹12,000–₹18,000 a year at ₹400–600 per acre through the CropWings app. Owning a certified machine means ₹6–10 lakh upfront, plus batteries, training and insurance — money that would fund more than ten years of hiring. Buying only pays when you custom-hire 1,500+ acres a season as a CHC or rural entrepreneur.
Which agriculture drones are DGCA type-certified in India?
IoTechWorld's Agribot and Marut Drones' AG 365S were among the first agriculture drones to receive DGCA type certification in 2022, and the certified list on the Digital Sky platform has grown since — it now includes models from makers such as Garuda Aerospace (GA-AG, certified December 2022) and Dhaksha. Certification is what makes a drone subsidy-eligible and legal for commercial spraying, so check the certificate before paying.
Do I need a licence to fly an agriculture drone in India?
Yes. Commercial spraying with a small-category drone (above 2 kg) requires a Remote Pilot Certificate from a DGCA-approved Remote Pilot Training Organisation, plus drone registration (UIN) on Digital Sky. RPTO small-category courses typically run 5–7 days and cost ₹30,000–₹1,00,000 depending on the institute, and many manufacturers bundle training with purchase. If you hire through CropWings instead, the certified pilot's paperwork is already in place.
Can I make money running an agriculture drone custom-hiring business?
Yes, in high-demand belts. A busy operator flying one 10 L drone across 2,000–2,500 acres a year can gross ₹8–15 lakh at prevailing per-acre rates — the cotton, chilli and paddy calendars of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and the Godavari delta keep pilots booked for months. With 40–50% SMAM subsidy on the purchase, payback typically lands within one to two seasons.
Sources
- PIB — Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (drone assistance categories)
- PIB — Funds for Kisan Drones
- PIB — Government promotes AI and drone technologies (Namo Drone Didi 80% CFA)
- sUAS News — India bans the import of foreign drones (DGFT, Feb 2022)
- Marut Drones — AG 365 product page
- Marut Drones — AG-365S DGCA type certification announcement
- IoTechWorld Avigation — Agribot
- Tractor Gyan — Garuda Aerospace drone prices
- XBOOM — DJI Agras T40 India listing
- DGCA Digital Sky — type-certified UAS list
- Business Standard — DGCA issues Type Certification for Garuda Aerospace Kisan drone (Dec 2022)
- PIB — Namo Drone Didi (80% CFA up to ₹8 lakh; AIF loan at 3% interest subvention)
Book drone spraying in the CropWings app
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