WASHINGTON – Long awaited, the Federal Aviation Administration will announce rules Sunday governing how unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, will be legally allowed to fly in the United States.
Currently, all commercial remote controlled aircraft are banned unless an exemption is obtained from the FAA. The exception is rare and must be very specific -- only a handful have been granted. The new set of rules is to apply to drones flown for business purposes only.
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Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta will announce the new rules during a conference call for reporters.
One of the most significant challenges facing regulators is how to keep the small drones away from larger aircraft with people on board. There have been several close calls where pilots of commercial planes came within feet of UAV's.
It is unclear just how complicated the new requirements for commercial drone use will be. However, a prematurely posted FAA document led some drone advocates to believe they will be less burdensome than what is now required of the few operators who received exemptions.