Colorado Agricultural Aviation Association

02/22/2026

Winter maintenance is a key part of our Colorado operations. Seasonal work doesn’t mean the work is all finished when it gets cold.

01/28/2026

NAAA has partnered with Kynetec on the “Aerial Application Operations and Industry Practices Survey” study, and we urge you to participate if you receive an email. Please assist us with information regarding the acres, crops, and pesticides you applied by air for them. It will be used to protect our industry from proposed aerial application bans, burdensome regulations, and threats to your safety. The results help keep aerial application on pesticide labels for which EPA is considering a complete ban or severe restrictions.

12/23/2025

The ag aviation community has been proactively addressing safety protocols for many years. This is an extremely sensitive issue that the industry takes very seriously.

FBI officials at a recent workshop explained that an agroterrorism attack on the U.S. could result in the disruption of agriculture production, export markets or food security.

10/28/2025

09/03/2025

Skilled pilots of manned aircraft are here for the foreseeable future. The future is combining both manned and unmanned aircraft to give our agricultural producers the best tool for the job.

A giant canvas bag full of seed hangs from a fork lift on the Crop Air tarmac in Eaton. It’s a mix of sorghum, rye, radishes and turnips, weighing in around ...

07/07/2025

07/04/2025

Happy Independence Day! Most ag pilots are working today, since bugs, fungus, or diseases don’t take holiday breaks. Whether you aes celebrating from the cockpit or the ground, have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Celebrate 249 years of America with backyard favorites like corn on the cob and fruit salad—made possible by hardworking farmers and the aerial applicators who support them. Thank a farmer and an ag pilot this 4th of July. God Bless America and Agriculture’s Air Force!

07/02/2025

Deconfliction of airspace is critical for the safety of all. We all want to work safely and go home at the end of the day regardless of whether you fly a manned or unmanned aircraft. Let’s all work to keep our skies safe!

Due to a very recent close call, I'd like to take a moment to remind our area growers that if they are operating a drone (even if it's on their own crop), there are several requirements that are essential. First and foremost, right of way must always be given to manned aircraft. Drones are nearly impossible for a pilot to see, and a collision could be deadly. Our aircraft are traveling at well over 200 feet per second and the pilots are already tasked with watching for trees, power lines, towers, guy wires, wild life, people, vehicles, other aircraft, and any other random danger all while monitoring their dispersal systems, aircraft performance, and engine parameters. All of this is done while maintaining a precise altitude and tracking an invisible GPS line within a few feet.

For this reason, drones are required to remain within a clear line of sight of the operator at all times, and anytime an aircraft is in the vicinity, the drone must be grounded immediately.

We don't have any ax to grind with anyone who operates a drone for agricultural purposes but we do need to all work together for everyone's safety and for the benefit of our industry. For those of you who are doing things the right way, you have our admiration and respect. To those who aren't, please get in compliance, and if you don't know how, contact me and I'll help you to get the ball rolling.

A quick little refresher...If you do wish to operate a drone, there are several legal requirements such as an FAA part 107 operators license, FAA drone registration with electronic tracking (remote ID), FAA part 137 certificate, Possibly an FAA medical certificate for the operator in many circumstances, an aerial pesticide license from the state that you wish to operate in, and recurrent training to maintain the part 107 license and the state pesticide license. https://extension.psu.edu/how-to-become-an-aerial-drone-pesticide-applicator

**EDIT*** After much gnashing of teeth from commenters, I'll go ahead and throw this in the mix. Yes...the actual legal requirement is for a drone (UAS) to always yield the right of way to manned aircraft...it is not to "immediately land" which is the language in the original post. This post was made very quickly and was written without peer review or legal counsel. The reason that I chose the wording that I did is because under the circumstances at the time, landing would have been about the only practical method of yielding the right of way available to the drone operator in our particular scenario. The right of way was not yielded in this particular case and that is the reason that this post was originally made.

09/15/2024

Yesterday we said goodbye to our friend and CoAAA family member, Kyle Scott. Kyle was loved by many from around the world. Kyle spent many years working on numerous safety projects to benefit both the agricultural aviation and aerial firefighting industries. His service and ingenuity are greatly valued. Most of all Kyle’s greatest wish was to show others the joy of flying. Jenny and the girls are establishing a scholarship for flight training to benefit future pilots.

Thank you Kyle for all of the joy and innovation you brought to this world. Rest easy Brother, we will continue your mission from here.

“His airplane was an extension of his soul and his work here on this physical earth,” Scott's wife said at his celebration of life.

09/10/2024

Kyle John Scott, co-owner of Scott Aviation in Fort Morgan and co-founder and CEO of CO Fire Aviation died Thursday, September 5, 2024, in a accident during an aerial application flight. He was 52. Services to honor the pilots life have been set for Saturday, September 14th at 100 PM

09/10/2024

.