Drones in Agriculture: Part 137 and Leveraging Spraying Drones

As the Drone Nerds’ ElevateUAV Summit kicked off in Miami this morning, the Keynote speech highlighted fastest growing verticals in the commercial drone industry.  Among these is agriculture: a leading vertical since the industry launched.  Since 2016 and the implementation of Part 107, precision agriculture in the U.S. has improved and grown steadily.  New sensors, new software, and easier to fly drones have all contributed to the widespread use of drones to analyze crop health and maximize yields.

Atty. Jonathan Rupprecht

Crop spraying is a specific use for agricultural drones – one that offers a powerful ROI for operators.  A service provider with the Part 137 Operating Certificate can recoup their equipment investment in a single growing season – while still offering farmers a cost benefit over spraying from the ground.  Drone attorney Jonathan Rupprecht presented a session on Part 137 to a packed room of service providers, all interested in the process…