March 17, 2026 | Quezon City – The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) convened a coordination meeting with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) on March 10, 2026, to harmonize regulatory procedures governing the use of drones for pesticide application in agriculture.
Held at the Bureau of Plant Industry in Quezon City, the inter-agency meeting aimed to align policies and streamline regulatory processes as the use of drone technology continues to expand in the Philippine agricultural sector.
The Pesticide Regulations Division (PRD) presented the existing policy guidelines on agricultural drone operations and explored opportunities to further align them with relevant aviation regulations implemented by CAAP and CAB. The discussions focused on key regulatory aspects including night flying guidelines, flight permit processing, pilot licensing requirements, standard terminologies, and potential security considerations related to drone operations.
The collaboration seeks to enhance the efficiency and safety of regulatory procedures governing pesticide application through drones. As an outcome of the meeting, the FPA plans to issue a new Memorandum Circular (MC), to be drafted in coordination with CAAP, which will revise the existing MC No. 2024-25 regulating the use of Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for pesticide application.
Representatives from the FPA Regional Field Units (RFUs) also participated in the discussions, providing regional perspectives on the challenges and opportunities associated with drone adoption and monitoring. These included Supervising Agriculturists Gabriel Atole (RFU V), Romnick Boctot (RFU NIR), Suzetti Alcaide (RFU IV), Marissa Napalit (RFU XI), and Leonardo Bangad (RFU II). Their inputs highlighted the importance of ensuring that regulatory policies remain responsive to the operational realities experienced by farmers and service providers in various regions.
Agricultural drones, also known as remotely piloted aircraft systems, are emerging technologies designed to improve the efficiency and precision of agricultural input application while reducing potential risks to farmers.
Currently, CAAP and CAB oversee the registration of commercial drones, air traffic coordination, and the issuance of flight permits, while the FPA regulates the registration and safe use of agricultural inputs applied through drone technology. The FPA also leads information and awareness campaigns to promote the responsible and judicious use of fertilizers and pesticides through drone-assisted applications.
The meeting underscores FPA’s continuing efforts to strengthen inter-agency coordination and ensure that regulatory frameworks governing emerging agricultural technologies remain science-based, safe, and responsive to the evolving needs of the Philippine agricultural sector.
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Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) Online ISSN: 2815-1674
Published by the FPA Information and Communications Team