HERE COME THE AGRIDRONES
The future of agricultural
UAVs seems promising, if the
regulatory framework can find
a way to allow for expanded use
while maintaining the safety of
the people on the ground.”
That sounds pretty good, but many think the proposed
rules are overly restrictive and don’t keep up with current
technological innovations, let alone future ones. It remains
to be seen if all line items in the proposed rules will make it
into law, but some of the important provisions are:
• Vehicle must weigh less than 55 lb.
Unfortunately, finalization of the new rules has been
delayed and is now not expected to happen until 2017.
In the meantime, likely responding to pressure from
many sides, the FAA has loosened its process on granting
exemptions while the rules are under review. This is
providing some breathing room for the many companies
hoping to get UAV businesses off the ground. Small UAVs,
operated by their owners for recreational purposes, fall
under hobbyist guidelines for radio-controlled aircraft,
which state the vehicle must:
• Weigh less than 55 lb.
• Fly no more than 400 ft. off the ground
• Keep three miles from any airstrip or airport
• Remain in your line of sight at all times
• Daylight operations only
• Keep clear of people, animals, structures
or anything else the UAV could ha rm
• Pre-flight check required
• Keep out of restricted airspace
• Maximum altitude of 500 ft. (higher altitudes available with approval)
• Not be used for business
• Maximum speed of 100 mph
• Line-of-sight operation only
Those rules seem reasonable to most people, but it is the
restrictive requirements governing the operators that have
caused the most chagrin. According to the FAA, operators
would be required to:
• Pass an initial aeronautical knowledge test
• Be vetted by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
• Obtain an unmanned aircraft operator certificate
with a small UAV rating
• Pass an aeronautical knowledge test every 24 months
• Be at least 17 years old
• Make the UAV available to the FAA for inspection or testing
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Maximum Yield USA | November 2015
So, can a farmer fly a drone over his own property to inspect
it? Is that recreational or commercial use? It’s a gray area.
Such operation could be interpreted as business use, taking
it out of the hobbyist category, and would require an FAA
exemption. Operating a drone indoors while workers are
present could also be problematic.
In any case, the future of agricultural UAVs seems promising, if
the regulatory framework can find a way to allow for expanded
use while maintaining the safety of the people on the ground.
The combination of robotics, GPS and UAVs will certainly
have a significant impact on largescale agriculture. And as the
technology develops, and if miniaturization advances at its
current pace, it might not be long before these technologies
become more common in indoor operations as well.
Graphics courtesy of Agribotix.