With over 1 million UAVs registered with the FAA and aerial
applicators hard at work for the 2018 growing season, NAAA has reached out to
local and national ag and aviation outlets reminding UAV users to be mindful of
low-flying ag aircraft.
The press
release reminded UAV users agricultural aviators fly as low as 10
feet off the ground, meaning they share airspace with UAVs that are limited to
flying no more than 400 feet above ground level. For this reason, the NAAA
asked UAV operators to do everything they can to avoid ag aircraft doing
important, low-level work.
NAAA recommends that UAV operators:
- Equip drones with tracking technology, such as
ADS-B, so other aircraft similarly equipped know of their positions.
- Get certified and well-trained in operating a
UAV.
- Contact local agricultural aviation operations
before flying by consulting AgAviation.org/findapplicator.
- Equip UAVs with visible strobe lights.
- Give the right-of-way to a manned aircraft. It’s
the law.
- Land your UAV immediately when a low-flying
aircraft is nearby.
- Carry UAV liability insurance.
So far, the press release has been featured in AgAir
Update, AgPro,Commercial
Drone Professional, DroneBelow, PrecisionAg, Southeast
AgNet, Unmanned
Aerial Online, and Vertical
Magazine. NAAA also has
television interviews scheduled with RFD-TV and radio. RFD-TV is the nation’s first 24-hour
television network focused on agribusiness.
It reaches more than 50 million homes on DISH Network, DIRECTV, Comcast,
and many other rural cable systems. RFD-TV radio is also widely circulated
throughout the U.S. and can be found on channel 147 of SiriusXM.