FAA Proposal Would Ground Drones For Many Farmers

In December, the Federal Aviation Administration submitted a proposal requiring remote identification of drones in flight. The American Farm Bureau Federation recently submitted comments to the FAA regarding the rule.

"Remote identification is the ability of an unmanned aircraft or drone in flight to provide identification and location information so that people on the ground," noted the AFBF’s Farm Bureau Congressional Relations Director R.J. Karney. "For example law enforcement, would be able to locate and identify who it is that’s flying that specific drone. The proposed rule requires that drones use remote identification through two systems, the first being a connection to the internet, the second being a broadcast that comes from the drone itself.”

Karney added one of the biggest challenges is the fact many areas of rural America lack adequate internet access.

“Farm Bureau supports efforts that will create a safe environment for drones to operate. However, there are concerns with the lack of internet in rural America, and even more specifically, out where the farmer will be operating a drone, which would occur out in their fields, over their ranchlands. This lack of access would ground drones for farmers and rancher who currently do not have internet access.”

Karney says farmers and ranchers need flexibility from the FAA. He added the AFBF is waiting on the FAA to finalize its proposed rule concerning remote identification.

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