Map regulates the use of drones in agricultural activities

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (Mapa) published this Friday (24), in the Official Gazette of the Union, the Ordinance No. 298 which establishes rules for the operation of remotely piloted aircraft (ARP), better known as drones, intended for the application of pesticides and the like, adjuvants, fertilizers, inoculants, correctives and seeds. 

With drones taking up more and more space in agriculture and livestock, the regulation aims to simplify procedures and adapt legal requirements to the specificities of this technology, as, in several aspects, it differs from manned aircraft.

In addition to registering on the Map, which will be done automatically via Sipeagro, operators will need to have a qualified professional with a specific course, designated as a remote aeroagricultural applicator, and, in certain cases, they will also need a technical manager, an agronomist or forestry engineer, to coordinate activities. Regarding aircraft, they must be duly regularized with the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC).

“We hope that the regulations will bring the necessary legal certainty to operators, while also guaranteeing the harmonization and security of operations and responsible use of technology. The standard will also serve as a 'guideline' for the coordination and inspection of activities, both by Mapa and by state bodies, responsible for monitoring the use of pesticides”, highlights the head of the Agricultural Aviation Division, Uéllen Lisoski.

Operational safety must involve the entire application process, from preparing the mixture, monitoring environmental conditions during application and recording and archiving data from each operation, so that they can be audited whenever necessary.

The rules aim at the safety of the work team and third parties, and also include minimum distances from sensitive areas, to be respected during applications, in order to avoid environmental problems and aiming at the health of the population.