MARDI advises all agricultural drone operators to obtain a valid CAAM licence for safe drone usage in farming sector compliance.
KOTA BHARU: The Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute has advised all agricultural drone operators to apply for a valid drone operating licence from the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia.
Dr Ahmad Safuan Bujang, director of MARDI’s Engineering Research Centre, said the licence ensures that drone usage in the agricultural sector is carried out safely in compliance with established regulations.
He said to support technology use in agriculture, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security through MARDI has launched an initiative providing free licences to 350 drone operators nationwide.
This licence is granted through the implementation of the 2025 Agricultural Drone Tour programme in collaboration with CAAM where farmers will learn about regulatory and safety aspects of operating drones based on the new certification module called the Remote Certificate of Competency-Agriculture Light.
He emphasised that drone operators must know the regulations in place and possess the skills to operate drones safely, including knowledge of prohibited flying areas.
Khalid Samad, chairman of the Kemubu Agricultural Development Authority, said KADA encourages farmers and rice farmers under its supervision to use drone technology in agriculture to increase work efficiency and rice yields.
He stated that using drones represents a modern approach with great potential in agriculture because it can reduce operating cost and time while ensuring more accurate application of fertiliser and pesticide.
Khalid added that drones can ensure uniform spraying of fertilisers and pesticides and enable monitoring with less labour, aligning with KADA’s aim to empower the agricultural sector using new technology.
He further noted that integrating drone technology in crop cultivation could attract the younger generation to venture into agriculture, supporting the country’s direction toward modern farming and the Fourth Industrial Revolution goals. – Bernama
