That’ll be the case more and more if you believe FAA estimates that 600,000 commercial drone aircraft will be flying in the US within a year of the new safety rules announced on Monday.
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Aside from concerns about privacy, one local drone operator said he was anxious about the likely increase in competition and feared it would put him out of business.
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.
“Makes it easier for people to fly commercially by largely eliminating the need for operators to get case by case approval”, said Michael Huerta, FAA Administrator. In effect, under a waiver system, Hollywood production companies had already been operating under these rules on productions such as The Mentalist and Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Earl Lawrence, director of the FAA’s drone integration office, also warned requests are being processed manually.
But the agency does not intend to rely on the waiver process in the long run, calling the small commercial drone rule just the first major step in its effort to safely integrate unmanned aircraft into the national airspace. And new automobile drivers must show certain skills before they can legally head out on the highways, Calderon said. Pilots must yield the right of way to other aircraft, you must have at least 3 miles of visibility and it must weigh less than 55 pounds.
While the Federal Aviation Administration’s new drone laws put a damper on future pizza deliveries, the guidelines – effective today – could affect established businesses that utilize drone photography and videography. An operator’s license is not required for hobbyists and recreational drone users.
However, for commercial use, Part 107 rules will apply.
People aged 16 and older can take an aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-approved facility.
People looking to fly drones higher than ever will now be able to do so at a Pendleton range.
But, there are rules for anyone wanting to fly a drone.
“As drone operators, we really want to see the industry grow”, said Cody Witzany, project manager for Northern Drone Worx LLC in Duluth.
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For context, the FAA says that 20,000 drones are now registered for commercial use.
