NAAA cautions drone pilots not to interfere with agricultural aircraft

As the farming season starts in the US, the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is urging drone operators to be extra careful near low-flying crewed agricultural aircraft. The safety of ag aviators is crucial because they help farmers on over 127 million acres of land to increase productivity and protect crops.

Drones are not allowed above 400 feet without a waiver from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) while crewed agricultural aircraft fly as low as 10 feet off the ground when making an application. This means that agricultural planes share their low-altitude airspace with drones. And that is a problem.

In a survey conducted by the NAAA near the end of the 2023 agricultural aviation season, 11% of crewed aerial application operators reported that either they or a pilot flying for them encountered a drone while operating an ag aircraft last year. But while they might be spotted for a second, drones are not constantly visible to pilots, meaning it is up to the drone operator to avoid a collision.

As Andrew Moore, chief executive officer of the NAAA, explains, “It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for manned aircraft to track a drone while conducting crop-enhancing and other aerial applications 10 feet off the ground at speeds as fast as 140 mph.”

This is why the association is encouraging professional and hobbyist drone operators to equip their drones with visible strobe lights, highly visible markings, as well as detect-and-avoid technology. The law further mandates drone pilots to give the right of way to a crewed aircraft. Basically, you should land your drone immediately when a low-flying aircraft is nearby.

You may also contact local agricultural aviation operations before flying by consulting the “Find An Aerial Applicator” database at AgAviation.org. In addition, it helps to have liability insurance for your drone.

It’s worth noting that the FAA marks its annual Drone Safety Day on Saturday, April 27. According to the FAA, drones are the fastest-growing segment of aviation in the US. As of October 2023, there are nearly 864,000 drones registered with the agency and over 330,000 certified remote pilots. These numbers are projected to continue to grow.

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