Outback Queensland graziers want strict drone regulations eased so they can use new technology to save money during the ongoing drought.

Key points: Outback Queensland graziers want strict drone regulations eased to save money on aerial surveillance

Outback Queensland graziers want strict drone regulations eased to save money on aerial surveillance CASA says the legislation is being developed to safely integrate drones into primary industries

CASA says the legislation is being developed to safely integrate drones into primary industries A Senate inquiry will focus on the impact of CASA's regulations on the aviation industry

Fixed wing aircraft and helicopters are often used on large stations for water management, stock movement, and pest control — but the costs can add up.

Landowners, who want to add cheaper, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to their toolkits, say the current safety regulations requiring drones stay in line-of-sight are too restrictive.

Remote Queensland graziers are working with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to loosen that regulation.

Brightlands, a 30,000-hectare station on the Malbon River, 60 kilometres south of Cloncurry in Queensland remote north-west, has been in Alister McDonald's family since 1946.

The team at Brightlands Station near Cloncurry are excited about what UAVs can offer their industry. ( Supplied: Sunbirds )

Mr McDonald said he had seen a lot of change in farming practices and technology and was excited about what UAVs had to offer.

"Just in our operation, if we were to cut out six hours flying a week, you can equate that pretty conservatively to $1,000 a week just in flying," he said.

"I think because there's been such a big influx of drones and everything's become so much more popular, it's regulations trying to catch up; it's a fair bit behind at the moment".

Safety first

The benefits of drones in the rural sector have sparked calls for changes to legislation around their use in agriculture.

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CASA said it understands the issue, but wants to manage the potential dangers.

They said they were developing legislation to integrate drones into primary industries as safely as possible.

CASA spokesman Craig Peterson said it was often difficult for people new to drone technology to fully understand the risks of using them.

"Drones can be prone to fly away for example," he said.

"It's quite a possible thing that can happen [fly away] if we have certain faults within the drone system."

Monitoring other aircraft and ensuring drones will not be a danger to those aircraft is one risk, bushfires are another.

"It really is a step-up in complexity for the operation, to send a drone beyond the line of sight," Mr Peterson said.

"The rules as they stand reflect that [complexity]."

Senate inquiry focus on CASA

The impact of CASA's regulations are currently the focus of a Senate inquiry, which will be wide-ranging across the aviation industry — and drones are on the radar.

The Federal Government is also investing $100 million a year from the Future Drought Fund to projects that mitigate the impact of drought.

Drones could soon replace helicopters to monitor waterpoints and fence lines. ( Supplied: Sunbirds )

But the onus is on graziers to demonstrate to CASA the systems they would develop to mitigate drone risks and to describe their pilot training procedures.

It is a daunting situation for farmers with little or no experience in policy development.

"The vast majority of people looking to use them don't have the time or resources to develop whole training packages and programs to get drone pilots going," Mr McDonald said.

"It's an added cost."

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Evolution of aviation in outback agriculture

Mr McDonald remembers his father buying a plane in the 1960s and seeing helicopters being introduced in the 1980s.

"When they first came out, everyone said 'you're mad, it can't happen, it's not going to work'," he said.

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But he is thankful that the practice of aviation in agriculture took off.

"There'd definitely be no northern Australia cattle industry if it wasn't for helicopters," he said.

"These drones could be the same because it's more efficient."