K
Kathleen Martin
Guest
In the sky above one of the largest Christmas tree farms in North America, visitors are more likely to hear the whirring blades of a drone helicopter than the jingle of Santa’s sleigh.
“We fly over a field and, using drones, we collect imagery and create 3-D models that help us determine how tall the trees are and help determine a count of those trees,” said Kate Dodde, a drone pilot for the Dutchman Tree Farms in Manton in Northwest Michigan, south of Traverse City.
Other farmers across the state say that the use of drones could revolutionize farming, but researchers working with drones say federal laws fail to meet their needs.
“You have to be in sight of the aircraft with unaided vision and you can’t use binoculars.” said Robert Goodwin, the project manager for Michigan State University’s RS&GIS, which stands for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System. “You can use extra people in the field with radio contact to keep an eye on it. But, if you’re using drones you’re trying to limit labor, not bring more people into the field.”
Farm advocates say that regulations confuse farmers who would otherwise adopt the technology.
“I think a lot of farmers are still trying to figure out what they all need to do for regulations,” said Theresa Sisung, the industry relations specialist for the Michigan Farm Bureau. “It depends on what they want to do with their drone.”
The Federal Aviation Administration determines which regulations and permits apply to drones based on how high they fly, how much they can lift and whether they are for commercial or private use, Sisung said.
Continue reading: https://www.lenconnect.com/story/business/agricultural/2021/12/09/federal-regulations-hinder-farming-drones/6433005001/
“We fly over a field and, using drones, we collect imagery and create 3-D models that help us determine how tall the trees are and help determine a count of those trees,” said Kate Dodde, a drone pilot for the Dutchman Tree Farms in Manton in Northwest Michigan, south of Traverse City.
Other farmers across the state say that the use of drones could revolutionize farming, but researchers working with drones say federal laws fail to meet their needs.
“You have to be in sight of the aircraft with unaided vision and you can’t use binoculars.” said Robert Goodwin, the project manager for Michigan State University’s RS&GIS, which stands for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System. “You can use extra people in the field with radio contact to keep an eye on it. But, if you’re using drones you’re trying to limit labor, not bring more people into the field.”
Farm advocates say that regulations confuse farmers who would otherwise adopt the technology.
“I think a lot of farmers are still trying to figure out what they all need to do for regulations,” said Theresa Sisung, the industry relations specialist for the Michigan Farm Bureau. “It depends on what they want to do with their drone.”
The Federal Aviation Administration determines which regulations and permits apply to drones based on how high they fly, how much they can lift and whether they are for commercial or private use, Sisung said.
Continue reading: https://www.lenconnect.com/story/business/agricultural/2021/12/09/federal-regulations-hinder-farming-drones/6433005001/
