• Attain at least three years of experience with no fewer than 200 hours of agricultural aerial application under the supervision of a commercial aerial applicator.
• Successfully complete an aerial applicator training program recognized by the MDARD Director as sufficient to assure the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare and the environment.

• Submit their own aerial applicator training program to MDARD-Pesticide@Michigan.gov for approval.
• Submit a certificate of completion documenting they were trained using a company’s approved aerial applicator training program. The certificate can be submitted with the certification application.
  • MDARD facilitates connecting aerial applicators to companies with approved aerial applicator training programs by publishing the list of approved aerial applicator training programs wanting to train aerial applicators. 
    
     

Private applicators applying general-use pesticides are not required to be certified. Private applicator certification is only required to apply restricted use pesticides. If private applicator certification is required, an aerial applicator must be certified in the private core and aerial standard. 

Applicators commercially applying pesticides using an aircraft must be commercially certified. Commercial aerial applicators must be certified in the commercial core, aerial standard, and applicable categories of pesticide applications.

Visit the certification webpage for additional information on how to become a certified applicator. 

Crewed aerial applicators must complete one of the following requirements below every 3 years:

• Demonstrate personal participation in a self-regulating application flight efficiency clinic sponsored or recognized by Michigan State University’s Pesticide Safety Education Program and approved by MDARD with an aircraft that the applicant operates.
• Retake the certification examinations or renew by seminar credits, and agree to an inspection of the aircraft spray equipment, and spray operations by an authorized representative of the director.

A business must comply with all FAA regulations for pilots and agricultural aircrafts. Commercial applicators who apply pesticides from an aircraft for compensation in Michigan must be in the employ of a firm that holds a pesticide application business license. To do so they must: 

1. Apply to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau.  
2. Once the firm is authorized to operate the business in Michigan, a Michigan Corporation identification number will be assigned to the aerial application firm.
3. Next, the aerial application firm must apply to MDARD for a Pesticide Application Business License (PABL). 

• Licensed aerial application companies hiring applicators must list the pilot(s) on the firm’s agricultural aircraft operator certificate.
• Independent pilots soliciting and fulfilling contracts in Michigan must obtain a PABL license for themselves and meet Michigan’s certified applicator requirements. 

Aerial applicators are required to have a primary location in Michigan where pesticides are loaded, mixed, or transferred from one container to another. Applicators must submit a report including the location of this mix load pad to MDARD on an annual basis. 

Contact your local FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), or visit the FAA website. It is strongly recommended to secure your FAA requirements before MDARD’s requirements as some of the FAA waivers have lengthy processing times.

Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (FAR Part 107)

The FAA provides regulations for the issuance of a remote pilot certificate as well as operating rules for drone operators, including rules such as maintaining line of sight, weighing less than 55 pounds, moving at less than 100 mph, and staying below 400 feet.

The FAA Part 107 exam costs $175 and study courses cost which cost approximately $149. There are no additional fees after getting a certificate and you can renew your license every 24 calendar months for free.

Agricultural Aircraft Operations (FAR Part 137)

An agricultural aircraft operation means the operation of an aircraft for the purpose of: 

• Dispensing any pesticide used to destroy or mitigate insects, diseases, weeds, or other pests.
• Dispensing any other substance intended for plant nourishment, soil treatment, propagation of plant life, or pest control.

Visit the FAA website for additional information. 

Applying for a UAS Exemption and Part 137 Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate

To operate a UAS for agricultural aircraft operations under 14 CFR part 137, an operator must:

• Obtain an exemption under 14 CFR part 11
• Obtain an agricultural aircraft operator certificate under 14 CFR part 137
• Each pilot must obtain a 14 CFR part 107 remote pilot certificate

Visit the FAA website for information on how to submit a petition for exemption. 

In addition, for drones larger than 55 pounds, you may also need 49 USC Section 44807 (Special Authority for Certain Unmanned Systems) and a Part 61 medical certificate. Check with your drone manufacturer or the FAA website for more information on these requirements.

An aerial applicator must meet at least one of the following requirements before engaging in the aerial application of pesticides:

• Attain at least three years of experience with no fewer than 200 hours of agricultural aerial application under the supervision of a commercial aerial applicator.
•  Be licensed as a commercial aerial applicator before December 27, 1988.
• Successfully complete an aerial applicator training program recognized by director as sufficient to assure the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare and the environment.

All aerial applicators who will be commercially applying pesticides in Michigan need to be certified in the commercial core, the Aerial Standard (AE), and the appropriate categories.  These may include but are not limited to 1A - Field Crops, 1B - Vegetables, 1C - Fruit Crops, 2 – Forest, 3B – Ornamental, 5 – Aquatic Pests and 7F - Mosquito.

A private agricultural applicator or a commercial applicator authorized under Act 451, Part 8315 to make aerial application of pesticides shall do either of the following once every three years.

• Demonstrate to the director the applicator’s personal participation in a self-regulating application flight efficiency clinic sponsored or recognized by Michigan State University’s Pesticide Safety Education Program and approved by MDARD with an aircraft that the applicant operates.
• Retake the certification examinations and submit to an inspection of the applicator’s aircraft spray equipment, and spray operations by an authorized representative of the director.

Visit www.michigan.gov/mdardpestcert for additional information on how to become a certified applicator.

Businesses must comply with all FAA regulations for pilots and agricultural aircrafts. Commercial applicators who apply pesticides from an aircraft for compensation in Michigan must be employed by a firm holding a pesticide application business license. To obtain a license: 

• Apply to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau.  
• Once the firm is authorized to operate the business in Michigan, a Michigan Corporation identification number will be assigned to the aerial application firm.
• Next the aerial application firm must apply to MDARD for a Pesticide Application Business License (PABL). 
• Licensed aerial application companies hiring an applicator to do applications for them, the pilot should be listed on the firm’s agricultural aircraft operator certificate (FAA part 137).
• Independent pilots that solicit and fulfill Michigan contracts on their own, must obtain a PABL license for themselves and meet Michigan certified applicator requirements.