He said the use of drones could also save lives.
Advertisement
Federal Aviation Administration rules for the commercial use of drones go into effect Monday.
But in the future, the FAA said it’ll address rules that will allow drones to fly farther than where the operator can see it, which is a big goal for companies looking to make deliveries via drone.
Aumer said, “How high we can fly them, how close you can be to an airport, and other safety issues, how to read the aeronautical maps, so you know what’s going on with the real air traffic”.
More than 3,000 people are already preregistered to take the certification test, reports NPR.
Michael Skrobarcyzk with Fulton Construction says the company recently started using drones to assist with projects like the Texas State Aquarium. “Over the next 10 years, commercial unmanned aircraft systems could be generate more than $82 billion or the U.S. economy, and by 2025 could be supporting 100,000 new jobs”, said Anthony Foxx, U.S. secretary of Transportation. But some critics raise concerns about the lack of space to operate safely in metropolitan areas across the country.
According to the guidelines, commercial drones must weigh less than 55 pounds, fly up to a maximum of 400 feet in altitude, at a speed of no more than 100 miles per hour, and can only be operated during daytime and up to 30 minutes before sunrise and after sunset.
While part of the rules provide some clarity to the once dubious legality of this advanced technology, many business leaders are not too pleased with these restrictions.
-Keep drones from flying over people not involved in their operation.
Payson says, “Now virtually anybody can fly one of these by taking a short test”.
Officials also announced a procedure for applying for waivers to some of the rules to keep a lane open for innovations as industries such as agriculture look to exploit the new technology. But the FAA noted that waivers can be granted to operations that that can show their plans don’t put the public at risk.
Advertisement
“There’s still a lot of challenges we have to overcome as an industry to prove the value of drones, even outside the regulatory environment”, West said.
