National Ag Aviation Association Asks Drone Operators To Be Extra Cautious

Apr 07, 2017

Spring, summer and early fall are for many the happiest time of the year. It's the growing season and farmers and those that assist them are working hard nationwide.

But while we're all enjoying affordable and abundant food, fiber and biofuel, don't forget that our nation's agricultural aviators are flying to help farmers produce it. If you're going to fly a UAV this summer, please be responsible and do everything you can to avoid agricultural aircraft.

Agricultural aviators fly as low as 10 feet off the ground, meaning they share airspace with UAVs that are limited to flying no more than 400 feet above ground level. That's why the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) is asking UAV operators to do everything they can to avoid ag aircraft doing important, low-level work.

"While flying at speeds that can reach 140+ mph, agricultural aviators are unlikely to see UAVs," NAAA Executive Director Andrew Moore said. "That's why it's so important for UAV operators to protect agricultural aviators in any way they can."

In a test conducted by the Colorado Agricultural Aviation Association, manned and unmanned aircraft organizations, and the state of Colorado, no pilot operating a manned aircraft could continually, visually track a 28-inch-wide drone when flying at regular speeds. While they may be spotted for a second, UAVs are not continually visible to pilots, meaning it's up to the drone operator to avoid a collision.

In addition to lobbying Congress and the Federal Aviation Administration for UAV regulations that protect agricultural aviators and other low-flying manned aircraft, NAAA has enlisted its members and state association partners to help educate farmers, crop consultants, ag retailers and the public about safe and responsible UAV operations in rural areas.

Click here to see more...

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.