Drone Users Giddy Over New US Rules
BBC reports that the Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have “greatly relaxed” the rules governing flying drones allowing “thousands of businesses to fly legally in the country’s airspace.”
This is the FAA press release: DOT and FAA Finalize Rules for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
The new FAA rules state:
- Drone operators do not need a pilot’s license.
- Drone pilots must pass an aeronautics safety test at least once every 24 months.
- Commercial drones can be flown as long as the pilot is over the age of 16 and the drone must be his or her line of sight.
- Drone cannot fly higher that 400 feet above ground level.
- Drones flown in daylight and twilight must have lights that can be seen more than three miles away.
- Drones cannot weigh more than 55 pounds
- The FAA will create an online procedure for drone operators to submit requests for drone use that goes beyond the new rules
