Commercial Drones
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Modernization and Reform Act, enacted in 2012, created a gradual process for integrating unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), otherwise known as drones, into the national airspace. In addition to military purposes, drones have a variety of applications, from weather monitoring and bridge inspection to border patrol and search-and-rescue operations; however, government agencies and others must first obtain authorization from the FAA for their use. As drone technology has advanced and costs have dropped, private-sector demand for these devices has increased. In February 2015, the FAA proposed new rules that would allow commercial drones to fly during…
