FAA Issues Rule on Commercial Drone Use

The Federal Aviation Administration has announced new rules regarding drone operation.

The rules require most small commercial drone operators to fly only during daylight hours and to get certified every two years.

While the FAA worked on the rule, it granted special permission for more than 5,300 commercial drone uses. The agriculture industry was well-represented in those exemptions, which were handled case-by-case. Interest in commercial drones is expected to rise exponentially now that the FAA has issued a final rule.

The Administration’s 624-page rulebook allows commercial drones weighing up to 55 pounds to fly during daylight hours and lower than 400 feet in the air, or higher if within 400 feet of a taller building or tower.

The aircraft must remain within sight of the operator or an observer who is in communication with the operator. The operators must be at least 16 and pass an aeronautics test every 24 months and a background check by the Transportation Security Administration.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx called the rule a “major milestone” and said the FAA worked to strike “the right balance between innovation and safety.”

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, a trade group, projects 70,000 jobs and $13.6 billion in economic impact will be created in the U.S. within three years of drones being allowed to fully share the skies.  Source: USA Today