The Agricultural Technology Alliance: The voice for farming in the UAS debate.

The unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the American technology economy. Once thought of as merely high-tech military gadgetry, UAS are now in use in a myriad of industry sectors – including agriculture. The rapid proliferation of UAS into American civilian life has sent policymakers scrambling to make sure that UASs are safely integrated into an already crowded airspace.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is developing regulations to govern UAS use in American airspace. Charged with accomplishing this goal, the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) serves as a forum to “discuss, prioritize, and resolve issues” for UAV integration. Furthermore, the Beyond the Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) working group is an industry voice to the committee. Farming stakeholders need a seat at the table.

To accommodate farmers in this space, the Agricultural Technology Alliance (ATA) is working across the agricultural supply chain to ensure that public policies affecting the use of next generation aerial technology – particularly the rules that will apply to commercial UAVs – reflect agriculture’s unique needs. The Alliance will provide collaborative leadership that is engaged in an industry-wide dialogue to develop, advocate and drive responsible UAV policies. The Alliance will advocate for UAV policies that align with farmers’ unique needs and uses. The Alliance will provide a coherent message to policymakers, the public, and the industry on how UAVs benefit the American agricultural industry – and ultimately the American taxpayer. 

The Alliance will advocate on behalf of America’s farmers to do the following:

  • Promote more flexible UAV use for farmers.  A “one size fits all” solution will not meet the needs of the diverse UAV community.  Rules governing how high UAVs can fly as well as line of sight requirements need to be specifically tailored to the needs of the farmers. The Alliance will serve as agriculture’s voice to the ARC or any additional committees created to integrate UAVs into the airspace.
  • Identify research-based solutions, such as ideal UAV weight, design, navigation capabilities and other specifications that will foster smart UAV use for farmers. 
  • Work with the FAA to develop an industry supported Agricultural Unmanned Systems Test Center, a cooperative effort between industry and the FAA.