In November last year Baroness Sugg, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport announced new measures to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of the global drones market whilst also protecting safety and security.

This included proposals to review the potential restriction of all drones flying above 400 feet, as well as the use of drones within the proximity of an airport , require users of drones weighing more than 250 grams to be registered, and for those operators to "use apps" to "access the information needed to make sure any planned flight can be made safely and legally", the government said. Drone users will also be obliged to "sit safety awareness tests".

The new legislation on the use of drones is to be tabled by the UK government in the spring of this year.

Commenting on the proposals Ben Scott-Robinson, co-founder, Small Robot Company says: “Responsible drone usage is not just practical, but beneficial for farmers. Having to have an app-ready drone means farmers are also ready to go digital, Farmers might initially have seen this legislation as restrictive, but actually it unwittingly opens up huge potential through the back door.”

“App-ready drones can immediately take advantage of next generation farm management software. It will help give farmers a granular view of the farm to enable precision farming. It’s a far bigger picture than drones alone. The fully-fledged digital farm will comprise a much broader ecosystem encompassing robotics, drones, farm management software, autonomous vehicles, and artificial intelligence. Ultimately, we’re looking at the Digital Transformation of Agriculture.”

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Responsible and ethical usage of new technology is paramount

“The Government is right to protect aviation safety. New technologies often go through a ‘Wild West’ stage which highlights problems, recurpussions and wider impact. Responsible adoption, ethical considerations and good governance are paramount. But ultimately it’s not about technology for technology’s sake, but the benefits it can bring to humanity.”

Government needs to apply common sense

“It’s here that the government needs a rethink on drones. There’s a lack of clarity; it’s confusing and impractical. As far as we can tell, this legislation means any drone over 20kgs is subject to Air Traffic Control. How can farmers take full advantage of drones’ potential when the weight restrictions treat drones as light aircraft? It basically means you can’t really use them for tasks such as spraying.”

“The current legislation jarrs with the Industrial Strategy and its vision for future farming. It needs more joined up thinking. Ministers must to take these practical considerations and the bigger picture into account as the legislation moves forward.”