The data was presented by consultant Eugênio Schroder, during an event aimed at agricultural drone service providers at Droneshow, a trade fair that showcased technology at Expo Center Norte in São Paulo. During a lecture to the same audience, MAPA announced that a new decree and a new ordinance should be published soon. ″Drones have evolved and the legislation needs to keep up,″ said Uéllen Colatto, federal agricultural tax auditor and head of the ministry’s Agricultural Aviation Division.
Colatto noted that two public hearings were held, and the proposal for the new decree is already being sent to the Civil House. After the signature by the President of the Republic, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) is expected to publish new ordinances, with specific and updated rules. Another new development should be the replacement of the Sipeagro system by the new SDA Digital, which is more modern and efficient, intended for the accreditation of educational institutions and the certification of technical staff in agricultural aviation.
One of the major challenges in this market is combating unlicensed drones. Ordinance 298, of 2021, requires professionals who use drones for spraying and applying inputs to complete a preparatory course and for operators to register with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA). However, as of this week only 2,618 remotely piloted aircraft were registered for spraying.
One of the greatest advantages of using drones for this purpose is their precision in the application of chemical products in the delimited areas. In addition, they are viable for any size of property. ″Drones are democratic, as they serve large, medium and small farms″, noted Schroder.
