Georgia expects drone industry growth with new federal rules

He thinks this opens the door for more people to accept drones.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently released the first set of regulations regarding the use of small unmanned aircraft systems or drones.

Maximum altitude is 400 feet above ground level; if flying higher, the drone must remain within 400 feet of a structure.

The FAA’s new drone regulations are spoiling plans for drone delivery. “It is also very gratifying for our industry that filmmakers were able to pave a path for the broader commercial use of unmanned aerial systems”, Chris Dodd, chairman and CEO of the MPAA, said. And experts predict that in time federal regulators will get comfortable with the notion.

Under the new rules, commercial drone flights will be approved for agriculture, research and development, educational and academic use, and powerline, pipeline and antenna inspections. “This will show the technology is reliable, and then it becomes harder to argue against broader uses – like for delivery”. The documentary film maker has owned a drone for two years, but rarely flies it. “There’s a great opportunity to reduce the number of climbs we need to have at many of our towers”.

The aviation community welcomed the new rules, citing them as an important framework to kickstart the ways drones can impact all parts of life.

The new rules, which take effect in August, mean that commercial operators operating these smaller drones do not need to certify their aircraft in the same manner as conventional planes and helicopters.

The FAA will register all drones before receiving a certificate to operate. Since 2014, the FAA has granted 6,100 waivers and another 7,600 are waiting for approval.

Before these rules were released, pilots had to file for special permits and exemptions from the FAA.

With the new rules, it appears that the Obama administration is attempting to strike the right balance between safety and the potential economic benefits of drone technology. “We’re already working on additional rules that will expand the range of operations”.

The demand by companies has been broad.

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta has announced that the agency is still researching how drone deliveries could safely work in cities, but has not given a timetable.