Drone technology in agriculture is nothing new – all over the world, the industry has been used to drones buzzing in the air for a really long time now: monitoring crop health, spraying crops, surveying and mapping; managing livestock; among several applications that have become critical in precision agriculture.
Drone technology has brought precision to precision agriculture.
Sadly in Namibia, the farmers are also being awakened to another aspect of drone use they were not prepared for: rustling. Reports from the Namibia Agricultural Union have it that farmers in the southern African country are increasingly becoming worried about drone sightings over grazing lands in several parts of the country.
These uninvited drones usually make their rounds at night and in the last few months drone sighting reports have been increasing.
No livestock has been reported missing and attributed to these flights thus far; but the farmers are taking no chances: The NAU and the Joint Crime Prevention Forum (JCPF) have already engaged the Namibia Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Namibian Police (Nampol) and other agencies.
Although the NCAA prohibits flying drones at night, numerous incidents have been reported.
“In the Karas region, several drones are said to be flying in a clear pattern between the farms Aruab and Auberus,” NAU said in a recent circular.
More reports have also come from Grünau and the Hardap area.
“Farmer Elize Cilliers from Maltahöhe says the drones are not currently above her land but still active in the vicinity. She fears for her Appaloosa breeding horses and is irked that the police are unsure which offence her complaint should fall under.”
NAU noted that the commercial drone industry is growing in Namibia, almost too fast, the farmers’ body thinks, that regulation is slow in catching up. There are still a lot of grey areas with regards drone regulation in the country, NAU thinks.
When correctly applied, drone technology is a boon to agriculture: checking fences and water points, monitoring livestock and fields or supporting anti-poaching.
Drones are also used for prospecting in the mining sector, and Nampol itself relies on drones for search and surveillance.
But what is keeping NAU awake at night is the lurking risk of the technology being abused for illegal activities such as poaching or livestock theft.
NCAA and Nampol are aware of the situation, the NAU says, urging its members and the public to report any suspicious sightings
“The NCAA also requests that sightings be emailed to incidents@ncaa.na so it can determine whether any registered operation was underway,” the circular said.
“Accurate location details are important. Farmers are urged to record coordinates and direction of sight. This can easily be done using Google Maps or Apple Maps by marking the position and selecting “share location.”
For drone operations in Namibia, compliance with national regulations is essential. All drones must be registered with the aviation regulator, and depending on their size, operators may also require a licence.
Each drone flight mission has to be logged, ensuring accountability and traceability.
Farmers can apply for annual approval to operate drones within the boundaries of their own land. Flights are limited to a maximum altitude of 150 feet above ground level, and visitors bringing drones into the country must register them prior to arrival.
It is also important to note that flying in national parks and other protected areas is strictly prohibited.