Comment from Anonymous

I can understand that Kirk Timber & Land Management, LLC, which is represented by Rocoza LLC, has petitioned the FAA for an exemption to operate unmanned aircraft systems over 55 pounds for commercial agricultural purposes. The petition argues that drones are a safer, quieter, and more efficient route to go than utilizing manned aircraft vehicles for agricultural-related work. After hearing the reasoning behind this, I can certainly say that I am in support of using drones and other unmanned agricultural aircraft as opposed to manned vehicles for several reasons. For starters, unmanned aircraft systems such as drones are definitely something we’d want to mass produce and use more in the future. As mentioned, they provide general improvement in the way we, as human beings, approach agriculture. UAS can perform tasks such as helping detect water stress in fruits, vegetables, and other vegetation within crop fields. According to an article titled “Unmanned Aerial Systems for agriculture and natural resources”, published by the Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources of the University of California, research and experiments was done to provide ways, if any, UAS are beneficial to the agricultural aspect of human society and what they found supported it. The article states, “Rapid detection of water stress can help farmers optimize irrigation water applications and improve crop yields.” This means that UAS are improving irrigation efficiency and crop yield. If this is possible with UAS, then these are machines we’d want working on the front lines in agriculture. Another benefit I’d like to point out is that UAS, such as fuzzy PID controllers, have been shown to improve general drone stability while simultaneous suiting agricultural conditions. As a matter of fact, MDPI AG published an article titled “Modeling of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Smart Agriculture Systems Using Hybrid Fuzzy PID Controllers”, that supports this claim through the research and experimentation that they had undergone. They say in the article, “The fuzzy PID controller provided an improvement of 41.5%, 11%, and 44%, respectively, over the classically tuned PID controller... Therefore, the fuzzy PID controller best suits the needs of farmers and is compatible with smart agriculture systems.” This directly shows and supports the technological maturity in drone control, which justifies FAA’s approval for heavier drones, since control precision has advanced, giving them all the more reason to accept the petition. The benefits of using UAS in agriculture don’t stop there. Not only does UAS provide innovations and efficiency in agriculture, but it also provides benefits in the financial aspect of the practice. There is an article from Sustainability, titled “Crop Monitoring in Smallholder Farms Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to Facilitate Precision Agriculture Practices: A Scoping Review and Bibliometric Analysis”, that discusses and identifies the cost and accessibility improvements of UAS over time. They say in the article, ““There remains much cause for optimism regarding future applications of UAVs… due to continuous technological advancements and reductions in ownership and operational costs.” As explained in the article, which had been supported by research, UAV access can provide efficient work at long-term cheaper costs, which supports the petition's goals since it advocates for funding and support in addition to functionality. Personally, I have an aunt who works in a small vegetable farm in a rural area. I have seen firsthand how unpredictable weather and limited access to information can make her job more difficult as the seasons change. With tools such as UAVs that monitor crop health or planning irrigation, she would definitely be able to save time, reduce waste, and increase her yield. Farmers like her deserve better tools to succeed. It is for all of these reasons that I support this petition.