Drone Safety on Farms and Ranches

• Drone: A drone is an unmanned aircraft controlled from the ground by pilots and/or flight software.  The technical names for drones include unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which are part of an unmanned aerial system (UAS).  There may be references of UAS also meaning unmanned aircraft systems.
• UAV: A UAV is an unmanned aerial vehicle, also known as a drone.  They require the use of a ground-based pilot, even when using autonomous flight programming software.  UAV’s are described by the number and type of wings and/or rotors. The most commonly seen UAV are fixed wing – single rotor and quadcopters (4 rotors).
• UAS: A UAS is an unmanned aerial (or aircraft) system, which includes the drone or UAV.  It is defined by the Federal Aviation Administration as “An unmanned aircraft system is an unmanned aircraft and the equipment necessary for the safe and efficient operation of that aircraft. An unmanned aircraft is a component of a UAS. It is defined by statute as an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft (Public Law 112-95, Section 331(8)).”
• sUAS: A sUAS is a small unmanned aerial system, using a smaller sized drone.  While there is not a readily available technical description of what a “small drone” actually is, the general idea is a drone that falls into a micro or small size category.  Most off-the-shelf drones readily accessible to the public fall into the sUAS category.  

There are two types of drone pilot certifications for the general public: 

• Recreational or Hobby Flyer: flies for fun.  Certification is the Recreational UAS Safety Test or TRUST which can be taken from the University of Arizona’s Global Campus.
• Commercial Pilots: flies for work, paid or non-hobby reasons.  Certification is commonly called the Part 107 certification, but the actual name is the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) Knowledge Test.  It is taken in-person at an approved testing facility.   You will also need to obtain a FAA Tracking Number (FTN) and undergo a background check.
• There can be waivers applied to the commercial pilot certification which will allow the pilot additional abilities not allowed in the standard FAA Part 107 certification.  These include flying a drone from a vehicle in highly populated areas, flying multiple drones with only one pilot and flying a drone in operating conditions that exceed the Part 107 guidelines.  The entire list can be found on the FAA waivers page.   

Those flying drones on a farm or ranch need to be certified to fly. Under the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) drone pilot guidelines, there are the two main certifications – Recreational and Commercial. Recreation is for fliers who fly for hobby or fun.  Any flights that take place for a work purpose are not classified as a hobby.  As farms and ranches are considered businesses, there is the requirement to be certified as a commercial drone pilot.

The FAA also has a user identification tool to help users determine the level of certification needed.

All drones must be registered unless they weigh under 0.55 pounds (250 grams) and are used by recreational fliers. You can find your drone’s weight listed on the manufacturer's specifications page and should be the “ready to fly” weight including batteries and any additional equipment

All commercial fliers must register their drones regardless of weight.  The FAA has the list of requirements on their drone registration page or you can go to FAA DroneZone for more information.

Remote ID gives a drone in flight the ability to provide identification and location information that can be received by other parties through a broadcast signal. There is not an option to opt out of this program. Any drones that are registerable or registered are required to have and/or use Remote ID. 

Drones can be useful tools on farms and ranches. Below are a few common questions about uses and if they are allowed under current FAA regulations.

• Flying on Arizona state or federal permitted lands with a grazing or agricultural permit: Check with the administrator of your lease or agreement to ensure you are allowed to fly over your permitted areas.
• Flying over tribal lands: Tribal lands have different requirements so check with each location to determine if drone flights are allowed and if aerial photography is allowed.
• Checking cows, fences or crops: You will need to be certified as a Commercial Pilot to meet the FAA Part 107 requirements since farms and ranches are considered businesses.  
• Chasing predators away from livestock: Chasing wildlife with a drone is not allowed.  According to Arizona Admin. Code § R12-4-320 - Harassment of Wildlife, drones may not be used to “harass, molest, chase, rally, concentrate, herd, intercept, torment, or drive wildlife with or from any aircraft, including drones, as defined under R12-4-301, or with or from any motorized terrestrial or aquatic vehicle.”
• Someone else wants to fly a drone over my property: Make sure they have your written permission to fly the drone over your property.  If they are flying over your property for a project or to assist you in your agriculture operations (such as chemical applications, soil surveys or land evaluations) ensure they have the correct Commercial Pilot Certifications with appropriate waivers, they are registered with the FAA, the drone(s) in use are registered, and they have insurance to cover any accidents or crashes that may happen on your property.
• Insurance for protecting property from damage: There are insurance policies that can cover property damage, liability and damage to the drone itself.  When shopping for drone insurance, be sure to do research and find a policy that meets all your needs.
• Requirements if you crash a drone: Law enforcement should be notified if private property or injury is impacted. The FAA requires notifications within 10 days (at an FAA Office) if the crash causes loss of consciousness, serious injury, or over $500 in property damage (not including the drone).