Agriculture has an exemption for drivers to operate a semi-truck without a CDL, but do you need a license to drive a drone for use on your farm?
“If you are flying for anything other than enjoyment or recreation, yes, you should have your Part 107 certification,” said Brian Anderson, Northeast Community College (NECC) media arts-broadcasting instructor.
Anderson presented the “Ag Drone Usage” session Jan. 11 at the Northeast Nebraska Farm and Equipment Show at the NECC Chuck M. Pohlman Ag Complex in Norfolk.
“A drone is not a toy. It’s a tool, but that’s a common misconception of the general population,” said Anderson when explaining how drones are used within many industries, including media, agriculture and public safety.
Drone usage is expanding at an exponential rate, and many farmers are contemplating how to integrate this technology into their operations.
Certification to fly a drone is required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for any action that will improve your farming operation. This could include monitoring livestock or irrigation, inspecting field conditions, detecting weeds or analyzing for crop insurance. Drones are now also seeding cover crops and applying chemicals, which requires further certification.
Some fields or pastures may lay in a restricted airspace, such as near an airport. Clearance to fly is necessary in such locations. The training for Part 107 clarifies such restrictions, as well as possible exemptions for those who have their Part 107 certification.
Similar to driving a vehicle, there are certain rules and regulations involved with flying a drone.
“The minute you take off with that drone, you are sharing air space with helicopters, airplanes, crop dusters, birds and hot air balloons,” said Anderson. “You have to know their parameters.”
For example, a helicopter can fly as low as 500 feet, so a drone’s fly zone is 400 feet high. Anderson explained that with a Part 107 certification, you could fly above 400 feet in a Class G Airspace to view a structure, such as a bin.
Anderson outlined the following FAA flight rules for a small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) (* denotes exemptions):
- Fly at or below 400 feet AGL (Above Ground Level)*
- Maintain a visual line of sight
- Do not fly faster than 100 mph
- Must have clearance to fly in a restricted airspace
- Fly in daylight hours only*
- Give way to manned aircraft
- Register aircraft that weighs more than .55 pounds
- No flying over people*
- Do not operate in a dangerous manner
All drones weighing more than .55 pounds must be registered with the FAA regardless of use. The registration number must be affixed to the drone in a visible location for inspection. Registration is good for three years.
For commercial use, each drone costs $5 to register. For recreational use, all drones cost $5 collectively.
Anderson suggested that people register their own drones at https://faadronezone-access.faa.gov/#/.
Third party companies can register drones for you, but Anderson said they will charge $75 to $100 to do what would have cost $5 for you to do yourself.
To become certified to fly a drone for commercial use on your farm, you must complete the FAA Part 107 UAS Remote Pilot certification process.
Courtney Nelson talks with producers following the presentation about agriculture drone usage at the Northeast Nebraska Farm and Equipment Show at NECC. Nelson a precision ag trainer at NECC.
Courtney Nelson, precision agriculture trainer at NECC, shared that the FAA questions were the hardest part of the Part 107 exam for her. This section was omitted from the online prep course she studied when getting her certification in 2021. Part of the 107 exam includes mapping analysis and understanding airspace protocol.
NECC offers a Drone Operations Course each semester. For those who do not have time to enroll in a multi-week course, NECC also hosts a two-day boot camp. A date has not yet been set for the 2023 summer boot camp. Contact NECC at 402-371-2020 for more information or visit their website at www.northeast.edu.
There are several testing locations for the Part 107 exam. Only colleges with an aviation program can proctor the exam. At this time, NECC is not a testing center. Anderson said he would like NECC to become a testing center in the future.
The Part 107 exam is required if the drone weighs between .55 and 55 pounds. Anderson also shared more details about the Part 107 exam:
- Must be 16 years old
- Must make an appointment at a testing center prior to exam
- Exam format is 60 multiple-choice questions
- Initial exam costs $175
- Must achieve 70% or greater to pass
- Must wait 14 days to retest if fail
- Certification lasts two years
- Recurrent test can be completed online and is free
Spraying with a drone requires the FAA’s Part 137 in addition to the Part 107. According to the FFA, Part 137 regulates the operation of drones dispensing or spraying substances. This could include spraying herbicide on a field or misting water on cattle.
Because Part 137 is applicable for all methods of dispensing chemicals and agricultural products, producers using a drone will have to apply for the following exemptions:
- Part 107.36 of the FAA rules prohibiting the use of a drone to carry hazardous material
- Part 137.41(c) which applies to aerial applicators for manned aircraft
Part 137 is a multi-step, lengthy application. Additional certification from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) for an aerial applicators license is also required.
Volitant Drone Technology Solutions can help streamline the process.
“Volitant has a consultant that writes the exemptions,” said Kevin Knorr, Volitant representative at the Northeast Nebraska Farm and Equipment Show.
Based in Dunbar, Nebraska, Volitant is an authorized DJI drone dealer. They service agriculture producers in Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota and throughout the Midwest.
“We learn as much about the technology as we can so we are better at selling it, keeping it in maintenance and being a partner to the customers,” Knorr said.
For help with your Part 137 application or for more information about drones, contact Volitant at 402-713-7270 or visit their website at www.volitantdrones.com.
Acquiring the Part 137 can take as long as a year, so he recommends starting your application now for the 2023 spraying season.
For those of you thinking that you will be flying your drone in the middle of nowhere and do not need a license, Anderson warns that the FAA will be monitoring. They will likely travel around looking for drones in the air or will find out locations where drones are being flown. Not having a license will result in a penalty, similar to driving a vehicle without a license.
