Farms, ranches & agritourism
Books and taxes for agricultural drone spraying services.
A per-acre spraying job billed to a row crop farmer, a drone battery pack replaced after a long season, and an FAA certificate that has to stay current. Gus sorts all of it, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
June came in at $11,800. The new drone's battery packs got logged as equipment, kept apart from this month's chemical order.
- Miller farm spraying invoiceCustom spraying jobs
- Orchard fungicide application invoiceCustom spraying jobs
- Drone battery packsDrone equipment
- Fungicide and pesticide orderChemicals
- FAA Part 137 renewalLicensing and certification
Why your books are different
Ag drone spraying books go wrong in the same few places.
A generalist sees a small equipment business. Your business bills by the acre for spraying jobs across different farms, keeps drones and batteries running through a demanding season, and carries FAA and state chemical application licensing that has to stay current. When the books do not separate those, you cannot tell which jobs and which equipment are actually worth it.
-
1
Spraying invoices from different farms blur together
Spraying invoices to several farms in the same week all look like the same kind of deposit, but each job has its own acreage, chemical cost, and drive time behind it.
What we doKeeps each farm's spraying jobs identifiable in the books, so you can see which accounts and crops actually pay best. -
2
Chemical costs get treated as a flat monthly expense
Fungicide, pesticide, and fertilizer costs vary a lot by job depending on the crop and the acreage sprayed, and if they are not tied to specific jobs, you cannot tell whether a job's chemical cost was actually covered by what you charged.
What we doTracks chemical costs against the jobs they were bought for, so you can see the real margin on each type of spraying work. -
3
Drone batteries and repairs get filed as routine supplies
Drone batteries, propellers, and spray systems wear out fast in a busy season and cost real money to replace, but on a bank statement they can look like just another small supply purchase instead of the core cost of running the business.
What we doKeeps drone parts and equipment in their own category, so you can see what keeping the fleet flying actually costs. -
4
A grounded week from weather or a drone repair gets no clean record
Wind, rain, or a drone down for repair can stall a week of bookings, and without a note, that gap just looks like a slow week instead of the specific reason jobs got pushed back.
What we doNotes weather and equipment downtime the owner flags, so a grounded stretch reads as what it was, not a mystery in the numbers. -
5
Licensing and certification costs get lost in general fees
FAA Part 137 certification, state pesticide applicator licensing, and drone registration all cost money to keep current, but scattered across the year, those costs can disappear into general business expenses.
What we doKeeps licensing and certification costs in their own line, so you can see what staying legal to fly and spray actually costs each year.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for an ag drone spraying service.
Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- Custom spraying jobsPer-acre billing for fungicide, pesticide, or fertilizer application jobs.
- Aerial mapping or scouting feesCrop imaging and field scouting services billed separately from spraying.
- Seeding or cover crop applicationDrone-based seeding jobs billed like spraying work.
- Equipment rental incomeFees earned renting out a drone or sprayer during the off-season.
- Training or demonstration feesFees earned training other operators or running equipment demos.
Money out
- ChemicalsFungicide, pesticide, and fertilizer bought for specific spraying jobs.
- Drone equipmentDrones, batteries, propellers, and spray systems, logged so they get written off right.
- Licensing and certificationFAA Part 137 certification, state pesticide licensing, and drone registration.
- Vehicle and trailer costsFuel and maintenance for the truck and trailer hauling equipment to each field.
- InsuranceLiability and equipment insurance covering aerial application work.
- Software and mapping toolsField mapping and flight planning tools used to run each job.
- Chemical storage and handlingStorage tanks, mixing equipment, and protective gear for handling chemicals safely.
What we watch for you
- Revenue per acre sprayed
What each job actually nets after chemical costs, tracked by farm and by crop type.
- Chemical cost per job
What chemicals cost against what was billed, so pricing stays honest job to job.
- Equipment downtime
How much time drones spend grounded for repair or weather, tracked from what gets flagged.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so tax season is a number you already knew.
Ask Gus
Things ag drone spraying operators ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
Yes. I keep each farm's spraying jobs identifiable, so you can see which accounts and crops actually pay best.
Usually it can. I logged it as drone equipment, not a routine supply, and flagged it so the accountant makes the call with your whole year in view.
No. Flag it for me and I'll note the downtime, so a grounded week reads as weather, not a mystery in the income.
The tax side
The tax side of an ag drone spraying business.
Most of what goes wrong here is tracking chemical costs and equipment by the job. Drone repairs filed like supplies, licensing costs scattered across the year, and a set-aside nobody started until after the busiest season.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Business incomeCustom spraying services are typically reported as regular business income, similar to other farm service contractors, so Gus flags the details for the accountant to confirm.
- Equipment depreciationDrones, sprayers, and related equipment can usually be written off, sometimes the year you buy them. Bonus depreciation is 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025.
- Contractor 1099s for outside pilotsAnyone not on payroll who you paid $2,000 or more in 2026 for spraying or flight help gets a 1099-NEC by January 31.
- State pesticide applicator rulesChemical application often requires state licensing and record-keeping rules that vary by state, so Gus flags this for the accountant rather than guessing at specific requirements.
Deductions agricultural drone spraying services miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Drone batteries and propellers
- Fungicide and pesticide
- FAA and state licensing fees
- Chemical storage tanks
- Protective gear and gloves
- Trailer and truck maintenance
- Flight planning software
- Liability insurance
- Drone repair parts
- Field mapping tools
- Mixing equipment
- Fuel for the tow vehicle
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
An ag drone spraying year, kept every month.
Your busiest weeks follow the crop calendar, and your equipment and licenses need attention in between. Your taxes come on their own schedule. Your team keeps you ahead of both. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Plan the year
Last year's return gets started, the outside pilot 1099 list is ready, and you get a monthly set-aside so peak season income funds it evenly.
- April
Filed. Done.
Your return is filed and signed before spraying season ramps up and licenses need renewing.
- July
Halfway check
Where you stand during peak spraying season, and whether this year's jobs are pricing out better than last year's.
- October
Off-season maintenance
Gus looks at drone and equipment upgrades worth making before next season and flags what this year's per-acre numbers say about pricing.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for agricultural drone spraying services. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions ag drone spraying operators ask first.
Can Gus keep spraying jobs from different farms straight?
Yes. He keeps each farm's spraying jobs identifiable in the books, so you can see which accounts and crops actually pay best.
Do chemical costs get tied to the specific job they were used for?
Yes. Gus tracks chemical costs against the jobs they were bought for, so you can see the real margin on each type of spraying work.
Do I have to change how I bill the farms I spray for?
No. Keep billing the farms you spray for your usual way. Gus reads job payments from your bank statement, and anything unclear gets a single quick question instead of a guess.
High winds grounded us for a week. Does that hurt the books?
It shouldn't. Flag the downtime for Gus and he notes it, so a grounded week reads as weather, not a mystery in the income.
Is a replacement drone or spray system written off all at once?
Usually. A replacement drone or spray system typically qualifies for a full write-off the year you buy it, though some seasons call for spreading the cost. Gus flags the purchase and hands the decision to the accountant.
Do FAA and state licensing costs get tracked separately?
Yes. Gus keeps licensing and certification costs in their own line, so you can see what staying legal to fly and spray actually costs each year.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
More in farms, ranches & agritourism
We keep books for the business next door too.
- Alpaca & llama farms
- Aquaculture & fish farms
- Berry farms
- Cattle ranches
- Christmas tree farms
- Corn mazes & fall festivals
- Custom harvesting & farm service contractors
- Custom meat processors
- Farm equipment dealers & repair shops
- Farm stands & CSAs
- Farm-to-table dinner hosts
- Goat yoga & animal experience farms
- Hay & feed producers
- Hydroponic & vertical farms
- Lavender farms
- Microgreens growers
- Mushroom farms
- Orchards & cider apple growers
- Pecan & nut growers
- Pick-your-own (u-pick) farms
- Poultry & egg farms
- Pumpkin patches
- Small dairy & creamery farms
- Sod farms
- Sunflower fields & photo farms
- Tobacco & specialty crop growers
- U-pick flower farms
- Wholesale plant nurseries
- Retail garden centers & greenhouses
- Equestrian event venues & arenas
What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever