We have become much more high-tech in our ability to look at our crops. Thanks to drones, we no longer have to walk all the fields. We can fly a camera over the trouble spots and get a bird?s eyes view of the field after canopy occurs. However, a proposed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rule could bring many ag-use drones to the ground.
Back in December, the FAA proposed changes to the rules by which drones can be operated. The federal agency wants all drones to require remote identification. This information would contain who owns and is operating the drone. American Farm Bureau Federation?s R.J. Karney says it would require an internet connection to transmit that information to officials.
This is in response to the increasing number of drone operators who are violating FAA rules on height limits at which the drones can operate. When drones reach 400 feet, they are in violation of FAA rules. Also, drones are not allowed within 5 miles of any airport. It is these types of violations that are escalating the need for an FAA crackdown.
Having an ID tag is not a problem if you are not doing anything illegal. The problem for rural America isn?t the tag itself, but the lack of reliable internet to transmit the data properly. If authorities cannot properly read your tag, your drone could be grounded.
Karney says farmers and ranchers in underserved regions or rural America need some flexibility from the FAA.
The FAA is still in the process of finalizing the rule.
