Farm and other commercial uses of drones were cleared for takeoff last week as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released its final rule for operating small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

The final rule provides a path forward for integrating emerging drone technology in agriculture, said R.J. Karney, an American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) congressional relations director. The rule will become effective in late August. Until now, commercial drone operations had been illegal in the United States without specific FAA permission.

"Farmers and ranchers can begin using a new tool in the toolbox, which allows their businesses to be more efficient, economical and environmentally...