Spray drones still considered aircraft
Shaynee Modien
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Shaunavon Standard
With the advancement of new technology, Keep it Clean is cautioning producers that there is still a significant way to go in the world of spray drones.
Keep it Clean, a joint initiative involving the Canola Council of Canada, Cereals Canada, Pulse Canada, and the Prairie Oat Growers Association, is in it’s ninth year of partnership. Recently, they developed messaging for crop producers who may be considering using drones for crop spraying.
Keep it Clean emphasizes that drone technology has not advanced far enough to allow for regulated spraying. According to their statement, “pesticide application by spray drones is currently not permitted, and drones cannot legally be used to apply pesticides on field crops in Canada.”
Krista Zuzak, MSc, Director of Crop Protection and Production at Cereals Canada, was contacted to verify this information. In a discussion about current spray applications, which include the use of planes and helicopters, it was confirmed that drones are still not legally allowed for crop spraying using pesticides.
While some producers are considering using drones to spray small, inaccessible areas and for targeted applications, Zuzak noted that the use of drones with any kind of pesticide is currently not approved and is considered illegal. This could lead to enforcement actions.
Zuzak points out that following the product label is the law and off-label pesticide use, including mode of application, can compromise market access. Producers should keep in mind that their crops may be rejected if they are not following pesticide label directions.
The Keep it Clean website also reminds users that “spray drones are considered aircraft and must meet applicable criteria for pesticide application,” which they currently do not. For further information, producers and the public can visit keepiticlean.ca to learn more about acceptable pesticide use.
Keep it Clean provides growers and crop advisers with resources for growing market-ready crops, including timely updates on potential market risks and resources for on-farm practices to ensure crops meet domestic and export standards. The initiative is funded in part through the AgriMarketing Program under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
