FAA Releases Proposed UAS Tracking and ID Rule

On New Year’s Eve, the FAA published its long-awaited proposed rule on the tracking and identification of UAS. The publication of the rule had been delayed several times, and with nearly 1.5 million UAS and 155,000 remote pilots registered with the FAA, it is widely viewed as the lynchpin for enforcing all other UAS related rules.

 

The rule would apply to both commercial and recreational UAS users. All UAVs that require FAA registration will have to comply with the rule. Exemptions include amateur-built UAS, UAS of the United States government, and recreational UAS that weigh less than 0.55 pounds.

 

The rule proposes two categories of remote identification: standard remote identification and limited remote identification.

 

Under standard remote identification UAS would be required to transmit information through an internet connection and simultaneously transmit that same information via a radio frequency.  Under limited remote identification UAS “would be required to transmit information through the internet only, with no broadcast requirements; however, the unmanned aircraft would be designed to operate no more than 400 feet from the control station,” according to the proposal.

 

A UAS not equipped with remote ID would only be allowed to fly in "FAA-recognized" areas and would have to stay within visual line of sight.

 

The draft rule goes on to state: “Under this proposal, the vast majority of UAS would be required to comply with one of these two categories of remote identification. For those limited exceptions, which include certain amateur-built UAS and UAS manufactured prior to the compliance date, operators flying UAS without remote identification capabilities would be permitted to fly only at certain specific geographic areas established under this rule specifically to accommodate them.”

 

Click the graphic below to enlarge 

 

 

A weight-based threshold is welcome news, as NAAA was one of 10 members of the 2017 Unmanned Aircraft Systems Identification and Tracking Aviation Rulemaking Committee (UAS ID and Tracking ARC) to dissent from the ARC’s final report. In a dissenting letter, NAAA explained why lacking a weight-based threshold for compliance with the rules could “greatly undermine the value, benefits and utility of UAS ID and Tracking – not to mention, jeopardize the safety of the airspace and comprehensiveness of any future [unmanned traffic management system].” The dissent was also signed by the Commercial Drone Alliance, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the Aerospace Industries Association, X, GE, uAvionix, Ford Motor Co., AirMap, and General Atomics. 

 

The proposal would not allow any non-compliant UAS to be manufactured in the U.S. within two years of the effective date of the rule, and within three years all UAS operating in the national airspace would have to meet the rule requirements.

 

NAAA will review details of the proposed rule, specifically looking at what UAS are exempt from the rule and how the proposal would work in rural areas where ag aircraft primarily operate. NAAA will submit comments before the comment period ends on March 2, 2020. 

NAAA Successful in Retaining Aerial Label for Seven Products Now Approved for Hemp Applications

 Last week, the EPA for the first time approved 10 products for application to hemp. In September of 2019, when the EPA first received the applications to add hemp as a new use for these existing products, NAAA reviewed the applications and found seven of them had labels that allowed for aerial application, while the remaining three did not.

 

NAAA submitted comments to the EPA reminding the agency of the many benefits of aerial application and importance of allowing hemp growers to take advantage of those benefits. The comments iterated the importance of maintaining aerial application on the label for the seven products that allowed it when hemp is added as a new use. The comments also suggested that adding aerial application to the labels for the three products that currently did not allow for aerial application would be beneficial to growers. You can read NAAA’s comments here.

 

Adding hemp to these existing product labels was precipitated by the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act. Hemp is defined as the plant Cannabis sativa L. and any part of that plant with a delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis. As a result, interest in hemp production has increased, along with the need to make pesticides available for the hemp industry.

 

NAAA will continue to monitor for opportunities to comment to the EPA to ensure aerial use of products that aerial applicator customers need in order to control insects, diseases, weeds and other pests.

 

More information on the approved hemp products can be found here.

Thrush Establishes $35,000 Bonus Incentive on New Aircraft Purchased Before Jan. 31

Thrush Aircraft has announced the return of its popular “Thrush Bucks” program, which rewards the purchaser of every new Thrush with $35,000 that can be spent on parts, options or training programs at the company. The Thrush Bucks program was first unveiled at the 2014 NAAA Convention and proved to be an immediate success.

 

“We understand buyers have choice—not only in the aircraft they choose, but in the timing of their purchase,” said Eric Rojek, vice president of Thrush Aircraft. “And to help make that decision a little easier, and hopefully a little faster, we decided to reinstate Thrush Bucks for a limited time.”

 

The Thrush Bucks incentive program will be in place until Jan. 31, 2020. To qualify, a customer needs to place an order for a new Thrush, along with a standard deposit, before the end of the month. In return, Thrush will award the customer $35,000 in Thrush Bucks, which can be spent on parts, options or any one of the company’s training programs for their new aircraft.

 

“We wanted to be sure and have this program in place prior to the new spray seasons—both in the U.S. and around the world—to enable buyers to obtain a build slot that would ensure their new aircraft was ready to go right to work,” Rojek said.

 

“$35,000 is a significant amount of money that will hopefully turn the head of just about any operator,” he continued. “It’s our way of putting some additional proof and real strength behind our message that that Thrush is back—and back stronger than ever.”

 

For more information on the Thrush Bucks program, contact Eric Rojek at (229) 789-0437.

 

 

8,000 Thumbs Up: NAAA Reaches New Facebook/Social Media Milestone!

NAAA reached another milestone of sorts this week, surpassing 8,000 “Likes” on Facebook. The exceptional thing about 8,000 “Likes” is that our “Likes” have grown by 1,000 people each year for the past two years is that it exceeds the number of operators, pilots and allied companies in the industry, so we are reaching individuals outside of our trade.

 

NAAA posts substantive messages on Facebook that underscore the importance and professionalism of aerial application to U.S. agriculture, forestry and public health. The NAAA Facebook page has become a great resource for ag pilots, farmers, supporting industries and friends of aerial applicators to keep up to date with information regarding aerial application, modern agricultural production, the farming community and on NAAA events and legislation. Our followers have rated NAAA’s Facebook page 4.8 out of 5 stars and our social media presence continues to grow with every “Like” we get.

Liking NAAA’s Facebook page is an easy way for you to share the benefits of agricultural aviation with your Facebook friends. If you haven’t “liked” us already, visit NAAA’s Facebook page and give us the thumbs up. You can also ask your friends to “Like” the National Agricultural Aviation Association Facebook page. By doing so, they will receive ongoing updates in their news feed on what ag pilots do to put food on the table. Instructions on how to invite friends to “Like” NAAA are available here. Also, be sure to “Like” NAAA’s posts on Facebook that promote the professionalism and importance of the agricultural aviation industry.  When you do so, your friends see our posts and they can like them and so on, and so on. This can cause our messaging of the agricultural aviation industry to go viral.

 

NAAA launched Instagram in August of 2019 and currently have over 300 followers. Instagram is the most engaged social media network after Facebook and currently has 1 billion (yes, billion!) users and more than 500 million active daily users on this growing social media platform. Joining Instagram will also help NAAA attract the next generation of ag aviators since 71% of the users are under the age of 35 and an estimated 83% of Instagrammers say they discover new products and services on Instagram. You can follow us on Instagram@AgAviationNAAA.

 

You can also “follow” NAAA on Twitter @AgAviationNAAA. NAAA launched its twitter account in November 2017 and has since gained over 550 followers.

It’s that Time Again: Renew Your Membership Today!

 

 

Renewals are now open! You can renew online today. As a member of NAAA, you associate with the best and brightest in the agricultural aviation industry and your support is imperative in helping us accomplish our initiatives. We’d like to remind you of just a few new offerings NAAA has recently released such as:

• NAAA is now offering legal services on Federal Transportation Laws to Operator and Pilot Members
• Receive the 2019 NAAA Operator and Pilot Survey Report which is chockful of key statistics providing a healthy status of the U.S. aerial application industry. 
• Be listed in an receive the NAAA Membership Directory. It’s your one-stop shop where you can find members and allied services in the industry.
• Stay up-to-date on the latest issues affecting your profession through the NAAA eNewsletter, Agricultural Aviation magazine and exclusive member resources online such as our Media Relations Kit.
• Don’t forget to take advantage of financial incentives such as our Operation S.A.F.E. Rebate Program and our Recruitment Rewards Program.
  

NAAA Extends Legal Consulting Services Benefit to 2020 Operator, Pilot Members

NAAA’s program providing legal consulting services to operator and pilot members on federal transportation issues will continue in 2020. NAAA’s agreement with the Law Office of John L. Wright, PC, in Broomfield, Colorado, provides up to one hour of legal consultation to 2020 operator and pilot members on federal aviation laws, including federal aviation taxation issues and federal transportation laws.

 

NAAA operator or pilot members seeking these legal services should first contact NAAA’s main office (202-546-5722, information@agaviation.org), and NAAA will serve as the bridge connecting members in need of legal consultation with attorney Wright.

 

The Colorado Agricultural Aviation Association and several Colorado ag aviation operators that use the legal services of Wright have attested to his legal abilities. Wright has received some fame in the agricultural aviation industry by successfully representing several Colorado operators that were facing off-target application charges filed by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. The case was dismissed by an administrative law judge due to evidence showing the professionalism of each operation involved, such as participation in Operation S.A.F.E. fly-ins, keeping application and weather site records, circling the field prior to application, checking wind direction, and EPA testing for safety of the products used.

 

NAAA’s legal consulting benefit started in 2019.

NAAA and NAAREF Board Meetings Feb. 13-15

We look forward to seeing you Feb. 13-15 at the NAAA and NAAREF Board Meetings. All meetings are open to NAAA members. The Westin Alexandria will host our February board meetings. Click here for a schedule of events.

 

Westin Old Town Alexandria

Address: 400 Courthouse Square, Alexandria, VA 22314

 

Rate: $153/night plus tax

 

Reservations: Book your room online here.

Room Block Closes: Jan. 13, 2020. Room rates will be higher after block closes and we cannot guarantee rooms after this date.

 

The Westin Alexandria is a three block walk from the King Street Metro stop (take either Blue or Yellow Line), which is the second stop south of Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA). You can view a map of the metro system here  

2019 NAAA Ag Aviation Expo Photos Available for Sale

 

Hundreds of photos from the 2019 NAAA Ag Aviation Expo in Orlando are available for viewing and purchase from NAAA’s official convention photographer, Randy Thompson Photography. An online gallery has been set up at RandyThompsonPhotos.com where photos can be purchased individually as 5” x 7” prints ($5 per print) or you can get the entire collection on a commemorative convention CD for just $30.

 

Visit RandyThompsonPhotos.com and click on the “NAAA 2019 Orlando” photo gallery to view the photos and find your favorite keepsakes from the event-filled 2019 NAAA Expo. If you have trouble completing a purchase through the photographer’s online store or simply need further assistance, please contact Randy Thompson at (912) 398-2093 or randyphoto@att.net.

Update Your Information for the 2020 Membership Directory

Have you moved or changed employers since you renewed your 2020 NAAA membership? Allied companies, have you reviewed your company description lately? Ensure your listing in the 2020 NAAA Membership Directory is correct today by logging into your account. If any information has changed, please let us know right away. You can provide your information by:

1. Updating your information online at AgAviation.org. Log in using your username and password and update your information under My Profile;
2. Responding to the letter or email that you will receive soon;
3. Emailing your changes to information@agaviation.org;
4.  Faxing your changes to (202) 546-5726; or
5. Calling the NAAA office at (202) 546-5722.

We must have your updated information by January 17, 2020 to guarantee accurate inclusion in the 2020 NAAA Membership Directory!

Don’t PAASS Up Safety and Have and Accident – Attend the 2019-2020 PAASS Program

 

The 2019-2020 PAAAS Program is ready to help you and the agricultural aviation industry improve safety, application accuracy and professionalism. The following four modules will be given at state and regional agricultural aviation association meetings this fall and winter. Check the NAAA calendar and make sure you plan on attending. The core mission of PAASS is to reduce both ag aviation accidents and drift incidents, and PAASS has proven successful at this task. Accidents have been reduced by 23% since PAASS began. Studies conducted by the American Association of Pest Control Officials show a reduction in drift claims of nearly 26 percent since PAASS started. Many state departments of agriculture offer CEUs for PAASS attendance and many insurance providers offer discounts to PAASS attendees.

Agricultural Aviation’s Airfield Watch

For this year’s Airfield Watch module, an operator will describe a break-in that occurred at his facility. He will review how the perpetrators attempted to gain access to his buildings and equipment in an attempt to steal fuel. He also describes what he’s done since the incident in order to better secure his operation. This has included increasing the security lighting with motion detectors around the buildings with plans to install security cameras at the facility. It is critical to protect agricultural aviation operations from a variety of threats, including vandalism, theft, and the unlikely possibility of terrorist activity.

Human Factors in Agricultural Aviation – “Controlled Flight Into Terrain Accidents”

Controlled Flight Into Terrain, or CFIT, accidents continue to be a concern for agricultural aviation. Over the last 10 years, CFIT accidents have accounted for 29% of all agricultural aviation accidents. During this same time period, 49% of fatal Part 137 accidents have been CFIT accidents. In 2018, a staggering 75% of fatal accidents involved CFIT. CFIT accidents include collisions with the ground, wires, towers, and trees. Participants will hear from several pilots about their CFIT accidents and factors that led to the accident. These included failure to properly scout a field, allowing the pressures of running an operation to cause distraction, and trying to sometimes impress an employer or someone else but perhaps taking on additional risk. CFIT accidents obviously present a dangerous threat to pilots but can also cause harm to the environment as well with the accident potentially resulting in a pesticide spill. Participants will have the opportunity to discuss how to scout fields for obstacles and maintain vigilance throughout the application in order to avoid a CFIT accident.

Environmental Professionalism – “Operation S.A.F.E. Prep Work and Boom Update”

Operation S.A.F.E. fly-in clinics offer aerial applicators the opportunity to have their aircraft’s spray pattern and droplet size evaluated by a trained professional. Many S.A.F.E. fly-ins are quite busy, with multiple aircraft participating. In order to get the most out of attending a fly-in, it is important to prepare your aircraft ahead of time. The Environmental Professionalism module will discuss aircraft preparation, including checking for leaks and aligning nozzles, whether participating in an Operation S.A.F.E. or analyzing your system yourself.  The module will also provide an update on using a shortened boom to reduce drift and the impact of belly nozzles on spray pattern quality.

Hangar AG Flying – “Accident Review, Landing with a Load, and other Topics”

This module will include an analysis of ag accidents that occurred during the 2019 application season. Studying these accidents enables attendees to learn from other pilots’ experiences and increase flying safety. A segment on how to land with a load will review how to accomplish this task as well as how to train for it. Also covered will be an update on FieldWatch and discussion on the risks of pesticides.