(Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

The rise of the drones.

New drone regulations welcomed by Ag. sector

Feb 27, 2019 | 6:52 PM

New regulations imposed by Transport Canada have created a buzz within Saskatchewan’s agriculture sector.

The regulations surrounding drone use, will essentially make it easier for farmers to get a license. Marcus Weber, President of Land View Drones, told farmnewsNOW the application and test will be available online.

“The cost of taking an online test is $10, the cost of registering tor drone is $5, and so Transport Canada has not imposed a huge financial burden,” he said.

The new regulations may open up some new opportunties for Sask. farmers. (File photo/ farmnewsNOW Staff)

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The regulations, which come into effect in June, make it mandatory for all drones weighing more than 250g. to be registered. The new regulations also focus more on where drones are allowed to be used rather than what the use actually is. Since farmers will not be impacted by airports or commercial airspace they will only require a basic license.

Weber, who operates an agriculture drone school and who has largely helped introduce the devices to farmers, said he expects interest to soar in the coming months, but he cautions the use of the devices on the farm is still limited to a farmer’s line of sight.

“Today’s drones are already amazing in terms of making crop scouting more efficient and more effective and I think we will see a lot more advances in the coming years so we will have drones in common use on every farm,” he said.

Another key change coming in June, which may assist farm families, is allowing someone as young as 14 to get a license, down from 18. Weber said this could come in handy particularly around seeding or spraying season.

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell