MM Ag Drone Services Petitions FAA for Exemption Amendment and 24-Month Extension

MM Ag Drone Services LLC seeks to amend its existing FAA Exemption No. 22667 to change conditions and limitations and extend the expiration date by 24 months. The petition proposes operating under Exemption No. 20365B terms, which authorize limited beyond-visual-line-of-sight agricultural aircraft operations for drones weighing 55 pounds and heavier under 14 CFR 137.3. This amendment would expand operational authority for heavier agricultural UAS platforms.

Affected parties include other agricultural drone operators seeking similar exemption relief, manufacturers of heavy-lift agricultural drones, and agricultural producers requiring beyond-line-of-sight spraying or monitoring capabilities. The petition may signal FAA's evolving approach to agricultural drone exemptions and influence standards for future BVLOS UAS operations in the agriculture sector.