The American Soybean Association (ASA) expressed support for the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) as a tool for farmers and ranchers to help manage their crops and livestock in a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation last week.

In the letter, ASA and other agricultural stakeholders said the industry would benefit greatly with UAS, both economically and environmentally.

“UAS are a tool for farmers and ranchers to increase efficiency and sustainability. Immediate uses for agriculture are crop scouting, field mapping and livestock monitoring. UAS have the potential to exponentially decrease the time it takes to complete these jobs while providing better perspective and faster feedback than many current methods,” the letter states. “The ability to use this technology for early detection of pest infestations, weed emergence, and nutrient shortages will greatly increase the likelihood of catching threats before they develop into catastrophes. This is great news for farmers, ranchers, consumers and the environment.”

The letter emphasized how it’s timely that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is seeking to integrate commercial UAS into our national airspace, as American farmers and ranchers embrace new technologies and implement ever-evolving precision agricultural techniques to make management decisions.

ASA is thankful for the opportunity to comment on the Operation and Certification of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems proposed rule and encourages the FAA to continue seeking input from agriculture throughout the rulemaking process.

“We thank the FAA for addressing the commercialization of UAS and encourage you to look to the potential the technology has for agriculture as you develop the final rule,” the letter states.

Click here to read the entire letter.