07/03/2025
Friendly Reminder!
Due to a very recent close call, I'd like to take a moment to remind our area growers that if they are operating a drone (even if it's on their own crop), there are several requirements that are essential. First and foremost, right of way must always be given to manned aircraft. Drones are nearly impossible for a pilot to see, and a collision could be deadly. Our aircraft are traveling at well over 200 feet per second and the pilots are already tasked with watching for trees, power lines, towers, guy wires, wild life, people, vehicles, other aircraft, and any other random danger all while monitoring their dispersal systems, aircraft performance, and engine parameters. All of this is done while maintaining a precise altitude and tracking an invisible GPS line within a few feet.
For this reason, drones are required to remain within a clear line of sight of the operator at all times, and anytime an aircraft is in the vicinity, the drone must be grounded immediately.
We don't have any ax to grind with anyone who operates a drone for agricultural purposes but we do need to all work together for everyone's safety and for the benefit of our industry. For those of you who are doing things the right way, you have our admiration and respect. To those who aren't, please get in compliance, and if you don't know how, contact me and I'll help you to get the ball rolling.
A quick little refresher...If you do wish to operate a drone, there are several legal requirements such as an FAA part 107 operators license, FAA drone registration with electronic tracking (remote ID), FAA part 137 certificate, Possibly an FAA medical certificate for the operator in many circumstances, an aerial pesticide license from the state that you wish to operate in, and recurrent training to maintain the part 107 license and the state pesticide license. https://extension.psu.edu/how-to-become-an-aerial-drone-pesticide-applicator
**EDIT*** After much gnashing of teeth from commenters, I'll go ahead and throw this in the mix. Yes...the actual legal requirement is for a drone (UAS) to always yield the right of way to manned aircraft...it is not to "immediately land" which is the language in the original post. This post was made very quickly and was written without peer review or legal counsel. The reason that I chose the wording that I did is because under the circumstances at the time, landing would have been about the only practical method of yielding the right of way available to the drone operator in our particular scenario. The right of way was not yielded in this particular case and that is the reason that this post was originally made.
