WASHINGTON, D.C. — Officials within the agriculture and drone industries say they favor the concept of requiring owners to register their unmanned aerial systems (UAS), something the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed last week and wants to fast-track as a way to keep airspace as safe as possible.
"To us, this clearly is a consumer-based issue, and they (FAA) want to do something like this now, given the expected rush on sales this holiday season," said Jim Love, the light robotics manager and advisor for Indiana-based Beck’s Hybrids.
In announcing the fast-track registration plan, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Fox noted the Consumer Electronics Assoc. predicts about 700,000 new UAVs (vehicles) will be purchased within the U.S. this holiday season.
That, coupled with the FAA’s recent report that from November 2014-August 2015 there were 764 reports of encounters between drones and other aircraft, pushed the FAA to move faster, Fox said. The primary purpose of drone registration would be to create a system that allows authorities to track down owners of pilotless aircraft who violate flight rules in restricted areas. Now, for example, no UAVs may be operated within restricted areas, fly above 400 feet or fly within five miles of an airport. And no drones may be used for any commercial purposes, including crop scouting, without a specific FAA exemption. The proposed registration rules would apply to all drones, but not lighter-weight toys and model airplanes. With sales expected to skyrocket this holiday season and with close-call incidents climbing, Fox said, "We feel the level of urgency here is sufficient for us to move as quickly as we possibly can."
The National Corn Growers Assoc. (NCGA) is backing the registration concept, which the FAA hopes to have in place by Jan. 1, something Love said likely will require more time. In a statement, NCGA President Chip Bowling emphasized the importance of safety. "As with any technology, unmanned aerial systems will make our farms safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly. That’s good for farmers, good for consumers and good for the environment. We support reasonable rules and regulations to govern UAS technology," he said.
"Most farmers who use a drone will do so over open cropland in rural areas, far away from airports or large population centers. We hope the FAA will recognize the important commercial applications of UAS technology and create rules that will put the technology in farmers’ hands."
Fox said a task force of 25-30 members, including drone industry representatives, has been asked to submit a preliminary report by Nov. 20 to the FAA. A spokesman for one of the largest drone manufacturers, China-based DJI, said the industry supports the concept of registration but wants to know more about the details of how the program will work.
"The feasibility and effectiveness of any drone registration system will depend very much on the details of how it will work, who will manage the process and which types of drones it would apply to," said DJI spokesman Michael Perry. "It will help protect public safety in the air and on the ground."
Love said that for growers, the proposed registration system shouldn’t matter much at all. Most new UAS devices require registration at point-of-purchase, so all of the information regarding ownership already is part of the buying process.
