LEGAL ISSUES facing UAVs on the farm.

Technology that allows farmers to use drones to scan their fields for blight and pests is available now but its use remains illegal.

That status comes as the unmanned aircraft industry waits for federal regulations to be developed for commercial use of drones. Some experts have predicted that industry could create thousands of jobs and generate more than $75 billion for the U.S. economy.

Any farmer using drones in any commercial capacity is breaking the law and risking fines, said Peggy Hall, a specialist for agricultural and resource law at Ohio State University Extension.

“I think it’s fair to say the technology is far beyond the law, and we’re trying to play catch-up here,” Hall said.

The Federal Aviation Administration is developing rules that would determine how and when the drones can be used....

One would think that -- on farms especially -- one would allow farmers to use drones to find out what works, what doesn't, and then write regulations based on experience. But no, that would make sense.