Chapter 8

UAV Remote Sensing in Precision Agriculture

Federal Aviation Administration’s Regulations for Drones

Commercial drones weighing more than 0.55 pounds must be registered with the FAA. The registration number provided by the FAA must be displayed on the drone. The registration process for a drone weighing between 0.55 and 55 pounds is relatively easy and can be completed online. Registration of drones weighing more than 55 pounds requires validation by a notary that the purchaser of the drone is the same person registering the aircraft. FAA requires renewal of registrations at prescribed intervals. Check the current regulations for renewal periods. In addition to the requirement for registering a drone, two certificates must be obtained from FAA to spray using drones: an FAA “Part 107 Certificate” to fly a drone and a “Part 137 Certificate” to apply pesticides using drones or to apply pesticides using drones while under the direct supervision of a person who holds this certificate. Similar requirements exist in pesticide applicator licensing procedures overseen by state departments of agriculture in other states in the United States.

FAA Requirements for Flying a Drone

Requirements for flying a drone and spraying pesticides are well defined in FAA Part 107 and Part 137 guidelines. However, be aware of key rules and restrictions:

Drone Swarms for Farming

Introducing UAVs into traditional agriculture has significantly reduced working hours and labor requirements while improving the efficiency of agricultural operations. However, since UAVs rely on limited battery power, employing a multi-UAV system (i.e., drone swarms) is more efficient than using a single UAV. For instance, using a single UAV for spraying or monitoring extensive farmlands is time-consuming and energy-intensive. In contrast, a multi-UAV system allows for simultaneous cooperative work, where individual UAVs perform specific tasks on assigned farmland areas, thereby expediting the completion of agricultural tasks on extensive farmlands.

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