A farmer hires a remote pilot to spray a 40-acre soybean field with pesticide using an agricultural drone. The pilot holds a current Part 107 certificate. What is the correct regulatory pathway for this operation?

Why →Agricultural aircraft operations that dispense chemicals, fertilizers, or seed are governed by 14 CFR Part 137. Part 107 does not authorize dispensing operations. A Part 137 operating certificate is required, issued by the local FSDO, and comes with its own knowledge test, operating rules, and recordkeeping. A § 107.200 waiver cannot substitute for Part 137 certification because spraying is outside Part 107's scope entirely.

The trap →Part 107 is broad enough for most commercial drone work, which leads pilots to assume it covers everything commercial. Spraying and dispensing sit in a separate regulatory category that pre-dates Part 107 and was not absorbed by it.

Field note →Part 137 drone operations also commonly require an exemption under 14 CFR § 11.81 because many ag drones exceed 55 pounds. Plan on a multi-month certification path before accepting ag spray work.