Rice Aerial Services UAS Exemption Petition - Agricultural Drones

The FAA granted Rice Aerial Services an exemption to conduct unmanned aircraft systems operations for commercial agricultural services. The exemption authorizes UAS operations weighing 55 pounds or more, daytime autonomous flight without an FAA-issued airman medical certificate, and speed increases to 50 mph. This individual exemption is issued under the special authority for certain UAS operations provided by 49 U.S.C. § 44807 and processed under 14 C.F.R. Part 11.\n\nAgricultural operators and UAS service providers seeking similar exemptions should submit petitions to the FAA demonstrating safe operations for the specific aircraft weight class and intended operational parameters. This exemption applies specifically to Rice Aerial Services and does not establish blanket authorization for other operators. Regulated entities should review the specific conditions attached to this exemption to understand operational limitations.