Drones hover on country landscape

The agricultural industry in New Zealand could stand to profit from drones.

The potential uses and benefits of the remote piloted aircraft systems known as drones are quite amazing and some commentators think they could revolutionise the agricultural industry. If this is the case, Japan and Brazil may be on the fast track to agricultural prosperity, with both countries quick to adopt these machines as part of everyday farm management.

In New Zealand, we tend to take a more cautious approach to new technologies, but the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) isn't taking any chances. Under existing regulations the CAA has no power to govern the use of drones, and wants to address this before drones become part of the landscape.

Federated Farmers' submission to the CAA on options for controlling drone use, points out that there is potential for drones to become an important part of farm management. Present uses include monitoring and herding stock, video recording and photography for agricultural research, and collecting information on adverse events.

But this just seems to be the tip of the haystack in terms of potential benefits.

It has been reported that researchers are developing drones equipped with cameras and other sensors to survey crops, monitor for disease, and precision-spray pesticides and fertilisers.

Farmers believe that the technology could transform agriculture by boosting crop health, improving field management practices, reducing costs, increasing yields and providing security.

With all this potentially at stake, Federated Farmers considers it is important that any controls developed by the CAA are targeted in terms of safety risk, and do not unnecessarily burden users with excessive compliance costs.

There are potential downsides when using drones, especially in the areas of privacy and security. It is not clear what protection, if any, farmers and rural landowners would have from invasive use of drones under existing law. A case in America has highlighted the legal difficulties of illegitimate drone use in an unregulated environment. A journalist has filed a lawsuit alleging that police officers violated his free-speech rights by questioning his use of a drone to record images of a car wreck.

Federated Farmers is keen to see the CAA work with other Government departments, such as the Privacy Commission, to develop privacy and security policy on drone use before farmers begin to find small unidentified flying objects hovering over their shearing and cow sheds and peering in.

Tanith Robb is a senior policy adviser at Federated Farmers.