Let’s hope so;
“Â Regulation:Â The Federal Aviation Administration was instructed by Congress in 2012 to open up the nation’s airspace to routine commercial drone use and is in charge of issuing permits for drones that operate at 400 feet or higher. Since 2009, the number of permits has more than doubled, going from 146 to 345 in 2012.
While the agency is still working up the rules, it has issued a fact sheet with current guidelines.
The FAA says drones that operate below 400 feet are subject to the same rules that govern model aircraft. Those essentially say the drones cannot be flown near populated areas, must stay within eyesight of the user, and cannot be used for commercial purposes, at least until the rules are finalized.
With real estate agents and journalists using drones, it appears those rules are being put to the test. An FAA spokesman said the agency “has investigated operations that appear to be commercial in nature.”
Here is a CNN Money article that ran this morning.
Argusleader screenshot
