Spray Drones
Spray Drones in Mississippi
As of December 3, 2023, regulations are in place to legally fly spray drones in the state of Mississippi once you have met all the regulatory requirements.
Regulations information: MDAC_Spray_Drone_Requirements.pdf
Remember you have two regulatory bodies to work with, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Mississippi Department of Agriculture Bureau of Plant Industry.
Summary of requirements:
- Must meet all FAA requirements and will be required to sign off on Mississippi’s BPI application stating you have done so.
- Provide a copy of your FAA credentials with either a Commercial or ATP rating.
- Provide copy of driver’s license
- Pass Mississippi’s BPI exams
FAA Requirements
- FAA Part 107 – Remote Pilot Certificate
- FAA Part 137 – Aerial Applicator Certificate (to legally dispense chemical from a drone) and exemptions
- FAA 44807 – UAV Airworthiness Exception (drones weighing over 55 pounds); 31 drones have been approved by the FAA
- FAA drone N#
- Third Class Medical Certificate from an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) physician. Previously a Second Class Medical Certificate was required.
- Flight test with local FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) in Jackson. Note: This requirement may be waived in the future.
The FAA is in the process of streamlining Parts 137, 44807, and Third Class Medical. The result could be FAA approval in months instead of nearly a year after your submission.
News
Crop dusters are a familiar sight in the skies over agricultural regions, but much smaller versions, unmanned aerial vehicles, are joining them.
Unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, are commonly called drones. Unmanned aerial systems, known as UAS, include the vehicle itself, payload, operator and control modules.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Those interested in learning about the use of unmanned aircraft systems as row crop application sprayers are invited to a seminar at Mississippi State University.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Producers got a behind-the-scenes look at the wide scope of agricultural research taking place at Mississippi State University in an Aug. 6 event.