Robert

I got the same email from them today!!

But, if I understand all this I'm reading, this is only the "commercial operations" portion, named "Part 107". But, personally, I still think it's a valid argument that one farmer looking at his own fields with his own drone is not in a commercial operation with that drone. Again, I'll revert to the long-standing aviation rules & cite the fact that any student pilot (not yet a certified pilot), can take his or any airplane that he's qualified to fly & fly around his farm fields (or any fields for that fact) shooting photos with his GoPro, Nikon, or I-phone & not be considered in a commercial venture. Student pilots just can't carry passengers, but that's another story. Now, if that student pilot, or any drone operator, puts an ad in the paper offering to photo fields for $xx per acre/hour/whatever, then he just crossed the magic line that the FAA folks watch for. Basically, the feds say, "if you offer yourself to the public for hire, you must meet higher standards of flying....".

So, I'm still hoping that farmers (loose term) will be able to fly their drone in non-commercial ventures & not be constrained by Part 107.

Here's the FAA pdf summary of the new commercial (aka Part 107) rules:

http://www.faa.gov/uas/media/Part_107_Summary.pdf