Dr. John Long, Associate Professor and Agricultural Engineer at Oklahoma State University, spoke with Associate Farm Reporter Carli Davenport about drones being used in agriculture. Dr. Long says drones are becoming an important tool for farmers and ranchers. “Drones are being used a lot of different ways in agriculture,” he explains, “from just being able to take imagery and do some scouting, looking for livestock, and then also some of the bigger drones are now being used for applying pesticides.” Their versatility, from crop monitoring to livestock management, is driving wider adoption across the industry.
When it comes to accuracy in pesticide application, Dr. Long says drone technology is keeping pace with traditional methods. “I would say they’re as accurate as most any other type of sprayer out there,” he notes. However, he adds that “there’s not a whole lot of research out there,” which is why “Oklahoma State is collecting some of that research and providing it to the public.” He emphasizes that much of a drone’s performance “really boils down to who’s operating it,” highlighting the importance of proper training and management.
Regulations also play a key role in how drones can be used in agriculture. Dr. Long explains that larger drones especially fall into that category, “all of those require you to have a remote pilot’s license, which is a license that’s issued by the FAA.” This certification process, he says, involves understanding “regulations and airspace rules.” He points out that larger drones—those “bigger than 55 pounds”—fall into a regulatory gray area: “Those are ones that are kind of a little bit of an, I call them an orphan in the FAA regulations, because they’re treated more like full-size aircraft.”
As for how producers view this growing technology, Dr. Long says most are open-minded and interested. “I would say that for the most part, they’re pretty curious,” he shares. Smaller drones “have been around for a long time,” and many producers have already “found really good uses for those in their operation.” Meanwhile, “a lot of custom applicators are really latching onto” the larger drones, allowing aerial application “in areas where they weren’t able to get aerial application before because a manned aircraft couldn’t get there.”
