I’ll be straight with you: there’s no drone on the market that sprays 200 liters of liquid on board. It would be too heavy to fly. If that’s the number you’ve seen floating around, the question you actually need answered isn’t “how many liters”, it’s “how much does this really cost and does it pay off for my land”. I’ll answer both, with real 2026 data.
The truth about the “200 liters”
The current flagship in agricultural spraying, the DJI Agras T50, carries 40 liters of liquid in its spray tank. It’s the largest spraying drone sold at scale, and even that falls well short of 200 liters.
So where does the 200-liter figure come from? Almost always it’s the ground mixing tank, where you prepare the spray mix and refill the drone several times a day, or it gets confused with traditional trailed sprayers. On the drone itself, what matters is the onboard tank (20-100 liters depending on the model) and how fast you can refill it.
What a spraying drone actually costs
The equipment alone runs from roughly $12,000 to $40,000+, depending on the model and kit (see the model breakdown below). But the sticker price is just the start:
- Batteries and charging: you’ll need several batteries and a generator in the field so you’re not stuck between flights.
- Training and certification for the operator.
- Maintenance and parts: pumps, nozzles and propellers take a beating from the chemicals and heavy use.
Budget for the full system, not just the drone. And get a quote from an authorized dealer: the price shifts a lot by country and configuration.
What actually powers a drone like this
DJI’s current agricultural lineup has three active models (the older T30 and T40 have been discontinued):
- DJI Agras T25: the lightest, foldable, around 20 liters of spray payload. Good for small plots or tight terrain, and the cheapest of the three, roughly $12,000-15,000.
- DJI Agras T50: 40-liter spray tank, dual nozzles (expandable to four), up to 21 hectares per hour on paper. The best-selling, most widely stocked model, roughly $18,000-22,000 for the equipment alone.
- DJI Agras T100: the flagship, a 100-liter tank, launched globally in July 2025. Fewer refills per day, but the largest and most expensive of the three, upwards of $30,000 and over $40,000 with a full kit.
One detail worth noting: the “hectares per hour” figure is always the catalog number, measured in ideal conditions. In the field, with refills and turns, expect less. It also varies enough between sources that the number itself should be treated as a rough guide, not a guarantee.
Is it worth it? Do the math
The math is simple. Add up what you currently spend spraying (contracted service or tractor) per hectare per year, and compare it to the drone’s cost spread over its working life. Rule of thumb: the larger the area and the more spraying rounds per year, the sooner the drone pays for itself.
For a handful of hectares, hiring a seasonal service usually works out cheaper. For dozens of hectares with multiple applications a year, the investment starts to make sense.
Quick comparison
| Model | Spray tank | Coverage (catalog) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| DJI Agras T25 | ~20 liters | — | Small plots / difficult terrain |
| DJI Agras T50 | 40 liters | up to 21 ha/h | Larger areas, high throughput |
| DJI Agras T100 | 100 liters | 10-30 ha/h (varies by source) | Large operations, fewer refills |
Equipment price from roughly $12,000 to $40,000+ depending on model and kit (not including extra batteries, training and maintenance). 2026 estimates, confirm with an authorized dealer.
The rules trip up a lot of people
Spraying with a drone isn’t a free-for-all, and in Portugal specifically, aerial application of plant-protection products (pesticides) is prohibited by default under Law 26/2013, with only rare, case-by-case DGAV authorizations, historically granted almost exclusively for rice, and by airplane, not drone. Before you invest, confirm you can meet:
- Registered drone operator status with your national aviation authority.
- Authorization for aerial application, which most countries restrict heavily for plant-protection products specifically.
- Approved products for aerial use.
This is not a buy-it-and-spray-tomorrow purchase. See our guide to Drone Laws in Portugal first, and verify the rest with your local regulator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a 200-liter spraying drone?
No. The largest sold at scale, the DJI Agras T50, carries 40 liters of spray mix. The 200 liters you may have seen is usually the ground mixing tank, not the drone.
How much does a spraying drone cost in 2026?
The equipment runs roughly $12,000 to $40,000+ depending on the model (T25, T50 or T100), and you’ll still need batteries, training and maintenance on top. Get a quote from an authorized dealer.
How many hectares per hour does it cover?
The DJI Agras T50 advertises up to 21 hectares per hour in ideal conditions. In the field, with refills, expect less. The T100’s rate varies more between sources, so treat it as a rough range rather than a fixed number.
Can I spray my own land with a drone?
Only with a certified operator, authorization for aerial application, and approved products. In Portugal, aerial pesticide spraying is prohibited by default and exceptions are rare, so confirm with your national regulator (DGAV in Portugal) before assuming you can.
Conclusion
Forget the 200 liters: what actually decides this purchase is the total cost, the real-world coverage rate, and the aerial-application rules. For large areas with several spraying rounds a year, a DJI Agras pays for itself. For small plots, a contracted service is usually cheaper. Run the numbers for your own land before you sign anything.
And before anything else, confirm the legal picture: start with our guide to Drone Laws in Portugal (2026).
