The National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is asking drone operators to be mindful of low altitude manned agricultural aircraft operations. With the growing season getting underway, those operations will increase across the nation.
Agricultural aviators treat 127 million acres of cropland in the United States each year and perform a variety of services that help farmers increase productivity and protect their crops.
NAAA CEO Andrew Moore says agricultural aviators’ “work cannot be delayed because of an unmanned aircraft not yielding to them, as is required by law.”
Agricultural aviators fly as low as ten feet off the ground, meaning they share airspace with drones that are restricted to flying no more than 400 feet above ground level. The organization urges drone operators to do everything they can to avoid ag aircraft doing low-altitude work.
Small drones can be virtually invisible-and potentially lethal-to agricultural aviators, air ambulance helicopters, law enforcement and other low-flying manned aircraft operating in the same airspace.
(From the National Association of Farm Broadcasters)