FAA approves new rules for drone use, lowers barrier to entry

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has predicted that some 600,000 commercial drones will be plying the skies over the US within a year, according to reports on Monday (29 August).

“We’ve been waiting for something like this for so long”.

“Making sure you don’t fly it over a crowd of people, you don’t go over 100 miles per hour in air speed, and you keep it under 400 feet altitude”, Owner of Dee & Mee Hobbies, Rich Zeller said. Those pilots have a separate set of rules to follow.

Read Google Announces Drone Delivery Service: Project Wing to Be Available in “Less than a Decade”.

Under the new rules operators can only fly from sun up to sundown, must stay under 400 feet, cannot fly above people and must keep visual contact with the drone at all times. But as thousands of drone pilots are rushing to get their certificate, many are stressing over the required test and scrambling to get insight from those who have already taken it.

Parrott said many drone users have been looking forward to the new FAA regulation. Drones are also prohibited to be heavier than 55 pounds (25kg), and all unmanned aircraft must be registered. He says it will provide an untapped industry for commercial drone photography.

“You’re going to see a lot of people entering this market and the people who are doing this safely and legally are going to be the ones who last and the ones who are cowboy-ing it are going to fade away”, added Hupy.

Autodesk builds technology and tools for the design and construction industry, and drone technology fits into that by helping capture construction site data in a way that is more cost effective than traditional aircraft and/or safer than getting workers to do it, Randall said.

On Monday we all got a little closer to the ultimate dream: a drone-delivered pizza. “Drones are something that I think will have a big future in the roofing industry as well as the insurance industry and crops and agriculture”.

The FAA would enable more commercial drone use by addressing those two things, Randall said: Operating drones outsides the line of sight could help utilities monitor pipelines or power lines.

He’s had drones for only three years, and in that time he’s created a film business that specializes in drone video.