Drone on the farm---Unmanned aircraft system regulation and world economic impact

Drones are best known for their military use, potential criminal use or use in an act of terrorism.  Commercial drones, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), often receive positive attention for capabilities in photography, filmmaking, delivery of pizza and consumer goods.   However, it is expected that UAS will be a major tool for delivery of production services in agriculture in both developed and less developed countries.  Uses include monitoring the environment and habitat, and assisting in crop health. Determining quantity and quality of production will have an impact on market prices for both the farmer and those who farm the farmers.  Information has great value to industry players. Economists have projected an $82 billion impact by 2025 in the agriculture sector with over 100,000 jobs created in the USA alone.

 But, UAS's also give rise to issues of individual and corporate privacy, property rights, governmental abuse in surveillance, commercial abuses and safe use.  Concerns over use safety and potential criminal/terrorism use have given regulatory agencies pause in how to regulate. But, failures of regulatory agencies to act and/or act in a timely manner have limited the use of UAS's to date. With the adoption of regulation, how will UAS's be integrated into food production technology?  What will the economic impact upon the sector be?

To date, technology is ahead of comprehensive regulation.  Technology may be ahead of itself if the UAS does not become an accepted staple of agricultural practices.   For good or bad, UAS's are here. Now, like any other adoption of technology, financial winners and losers will result from the introduction of new or alternative technology.  Economic implications will be explored in the paper.  Issues of financial liabilities for user-based abuse of others' property rights, real or perceived, will be outlined as part of the economic cost of using the new technology.  The implication of property rights for UAS users and neighbors are in the paper.  The paper will include an analysis of the appropriate use of UAS’s and identification of the economic winners and losers associated with the adoption of the technology tool---UAS.