Wisconsin aerial application operator and NAAA Board Member Damon Reabe was in D.C. this week to represent the voice of aerial applicators at the EPA’s Pesticide Program Dialogue Committee (PPDC). While at the PPDC, Reabe gave a presentation to clear up popular misconceptions regarding UAVs used for aerial application. 

Reabe explained the pesticide drift characteristics and efficacy of droplet size of applications made by air and that UAVs a application characteristics are largely unknown and require extensive research and development to ensure environmental and human safety. 

Reabe informed the group about the extensive research put into USDA’s AgDRIFT model to calculate drift risk for ag aircraft, ground sprayers and air blasters. Smaller unmanned aircraft do not fit properly into the AgDRIFT model. Reabe recommended the development of a panel for UAVs similar to the Spray Drift Task Force to accurately study the drift characteristics of applications made by UAVs. This research could then be incorporated into the Ag DRIFT model. 

Additionally, Reabe explained the advertised application rates combined with advertised droplet size and small payloads of UAVs indicate label language is most likely not being complied with. Also, Reabe gave an example of a UAV company advertising three to five meters as the optimal application height, but this exceeds the max altitude for all pesticide labels. 

Reabe also informed the group about the recent UAV standards roadmap released by the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) that found gaps exist in the communication, treatment efficacy, operational safety, equipment reliability and airspace integration of unmanned aircraft used for aerial application compared to their manned counterparts and that extensive research and development should be required to prove their safe use.

Reabe is chairman of the NAAA’s Government Relations Committee—an important federal advisory committee that consists of a forum of diverse stakeholders related to pesticides to provide feedback to the EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs on various pesticide regulatory, policy and program implementation issues.   

Reabe presents to the PPDC to address popular misconceptions surrounding aerial application and UAVs.