Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Weeds Drone topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Weed department pilot earns FAA Part 107; court approves training payment and authorizes covering additional waiver assistance
Summary
The county weed supervisor reported he passed the FAA Part 107 exam after attending a paid pilot school; the court approved the $800 training expense and agreed to absorb up to $3,000 in legal/consulting costs to obtain FAA waivers for aerial pesticide application.
Gilliam County weed department staff briefed the court on progress toward using a spray drone and the regulatory approvals required for aerial pesticide application.
Michael Durfee, weed department lead, said the department purchased a drone and trailer and that, after studying, he paid $800 to attend a commercial Part 107 pilot school and passed the FAA exam. Durfee explained that additional regulatory waivers are required to spray pesticides by drone and that the waiver process is complex: "Everyone goes through different lawyers around the country," he said, describing a vendor who would assist with FAA petitions and the aerial‑applicator plan. Durfee said the legal/consulting work to prepare the FAA petition and operational plan could cost in the $1,500–$3,000 range, and that the department had identified a community insurance program with a possible $1,000 contribution.
Commission discussion centered on budget placement for the prepaid $800 course fee and the requested additional funds to cover waiver preparation. The court moved and seconded a motion to approve payment of the $800 pilot school fee and later moved to absorb up to $3,000 in related consulting costs from leftover project funds tied to the earlier Morgan Griffith project, subject to confirmation by the finance director. Both motions passed by voice vote.
Durfee outlined next regulatory steps: he will apply for an aerial applicator endorsement under the county’s pesticide licensing process, submit the Part 107 recertification every two years, and pursue the FAA Part 134 waiver (for aerial application) with consultant assistance.
Why it matters: Drone spraying requires FAA waivers and pesticide‑applicator endorsements; the court’s approval advances a county effort that could change how roadside and noxious‑weed treatments are performed and potentially reduce operator exposure to hazards.
The court asked Durfee to work with the finance director to place the prepaid $800 in the correct budget line and to pursue available $1,000 insurance program support before drawing on county funds for the remaining waiver work.
