What does this mean to the future of farmers, many who have considered using drones for agricultural purposes? Without regulation compliance – and with the continuing cost drop of the technology – the skies could appear something akin to the “Wild, Wild West,” where drones have become “too ubiquitous for the agency to police.”  

What’s more, drones come in all shapes and sizes – small drones that typically remain in sight of the operator while in the air and fly under 400 feet, and larger drones that need an airfield to take off and land and that share airspace with manned craft.

But that in itself is another matter: The FAA is lagging in meeting a congressional mandate to allow commercial drones to legally share the skies, though eventually it likely will have to issue two rules – one for smaller drones, the second for larger ones.

“It’s not clear exactly what regulations the FAA will propose,” the article reads. “The agency could require drone operators to register, pay fees or go through safety training. It could also place restrictions on drone use for safety reasons.

“But in the meantime, the FAA is sticking to the stance it’s held since 2007 — that using drones for commercial purposes is illegal.”  FG

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—Summarized by FG staff from cited source