Drones in Agriculture: Current and future legal status in Germany, the EU, the USA and Japan

Abstract

Agriculture promises diverse and attractive uses for drones. However, farmers and service providers are often unaware of the legal situation in their new traffic space - “air”. What restrictions arise from current law and thus possibly block usage scenarios? What developments are to be expected from a legal perspective and which opportunities/risks may emerge in the future? The legal regulations in Germany, the EU, the USA and Japan are considered. Starting from the status quo of agricultural drone use, international legislation will be compared and an outlook on the future role of drones in agriculture will be presented.