Aerial pilots and farmers in Australia are reporting near misses with drones photographing canola crops, raising concerns about safety risks to both air and ground operations. The Aerial Application Association of Australia warns that drone collisions could be fatal for pilots and damage crops by disrupting biosecurity measures. Drone operators have been advised to implement safety protocols, including avoiding low-level airspace used by agricultural planes and maintaining a safe distance from canola fields.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
In short:
Agricultural pilots have reported near misses with drones taking photos over canola crops.
asserted
drones → report → crops
The industry is worried a crash could prove fatal, while the biosecurity of crops is also being compromised.
uncertain
biosecurity → worry → crops
Drone operators have been asked to implement some simple safety and biosecurity measures pre-flight.
asserted
operators → ask → measures
The golden flowering fields of canola filling the Australian countryside are providing drone photographers with some stunning visuals, but they come with a potentially fatal risk.
asserted
they → flower → risk
Pilots and farmers undertaking aerial spraying of their canola crops are reporting near misses involving drones, warning safety and lives could be at risk if operators do not take more care.
uncertain
operators → undertake → care
The Aerial Application Association of Australia, which represents pilots and workers who provide aerial application for farmers, says the number of planes flying over canola crops is at its highest at this time of year.
asserted
number → represent → year
Association chief executive officer Matthew Harper said this year's bumper canola crop was looking "absolutely beautiful".
asserted
crop → say → ?
"When it looks the best, it means that farmer is putting a lot of love and as much attention onto that canola as they can, and the chances of seeing an aircraft is much higher at the moment,"Mr Harper said.
asserted
Harper → look → aircraft
He said flying a drone over those crops came with multiple dangers.
asserted
flying → say → dangers
That includes possibly interfering with aircraft flying at low levels to apply chemicals or fungicides, for military training, firefighting, or for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
uncertain
That → include → Service
"They can all be just there in that under 500 feet airspace," Mr Harper said.
asserted
Harper → say → airspace
He was aware of several close calls being reported this season.
asserted
He → report → calls
"In a recent near miss over a canola crop in WA, the only reason the pilot saw [the drone] was because he saw the drone operator's car parked beside the highway and it hadn't been there on his last pass," he said.
asserted
he → see → pass
"He missed that drone with what we think is probably less than 30 metres, which could have been fatal.
uncertain
which → miss → drone
"When an aircraft wing hits a drone, the drone doesn't necessarily disintegrate.
asserted
drone → hit → drone
It can breach the front of the aircraft, and then it tends to stay intact and travel through the aircraft, breaking control cables and ripping out the other side.
asserted
it → breach → side
"You could find very quickly that you actually have no control over the aircraft and a wing that's just no longer providing enough lift to fly.
uncertain
that → find → lift
Easy to miss
He said the chance of a pilot spotting a drone hovering over a crop was "almost zero".
asserted
pilot → miss → crop
"We've also had a number of anecdotal near misses in both South Australia and southern New South Wales, and unfortunately, they all do appear to be photographic drones looking down at the canola," he said.
asserted
he → have → canola
Mr Harper said flowering canola was also "highly susceptible to biosecurity issues", prompting annual reminders for the public not to enter paddocks without permission.
asserted
public → say → permission
That also poses a danger to those on the ground.
asserted
That → pose → ground
"An aircraft will be travelling just under 200 kilometres an hour while it's doing a spray application," he said.
asserted
he → travel → application
"It will be on top of you within seconds, so if you are in the crop, there's no way the pilot will see you, no way the pilot will be able to turn off the spray and you're liable to be sprayed if you are in that crop."
asserted
you → be → crop
Mr Harper urged operators to be aware of their surroundings, pause and "have a good look around" before sending drones into the air.
asserted
Harper → urge → air
He also recommended having a second person as a lookout and keeping drones over the road to remove the chance of having to bring them down into the crop.
asserted
He → recommend → crop
Agronomist Marty Colbert regularly used drones to check general crop health and for hail and chemical damage.
asserted
Colbert → use → damage
"We've got a biosecurity plan to adhere to — I wash everything down with a disinfectant and soap," he said.
asserted
he → get → disinfectant
"No-one appreciates having an unexpected visitor into their paddock that might be carrying something."
uncertain
that → appreciate → something
Mr Colbert said he always checked with his farmer clients about any aerial applications happening in the area.
asserted
he → say → area
"You do have to have your wits about you because you can get several online apps to tell you if an aircraft's in the vicinity, but quite often — because aerial applicators fly lower than that beacon can exude a signal — they won't show up on it," Mr Colbert said.
asserted
Colbert → have → it
The Aporia