US FAA Starts Process For Public Drone Flying

The US FAA said it will develop drone regulations allowing some unmanned aerial vehicles to fly over public areas, a move eagerly sought by a range of industries including real estate and agriculture.

The FAA, under pressure from Congress and industry to accommodate commercial drones, said it established a new rule-making committee that would recommend a regulatory framework by April 1.

Approval to fly over public areas would be vital to the kind of package delivery services envisioned by Amazon and Google, but the new committee would likely focus on smaller UAV used for aerial photography, industry lobbyists said.

Commercial drone operations are illegal in the United States without specific FAA permission. The agency is expected to release final regulations by late June that would allow for commercial drone flights.

An FAA spokeswoman said the new committee's work was part of a separate effort.

"We recognise the significant industry interest in expanding commercial access to the National Airspace System. The short deadline reinforces our commitment to a flexible regulatory approach," US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement.

The announcement came as members of Congress consider legislation that would greatly reduce restrictions on smaller or "micro" drones. A six-year FAA authorisation bill, which could be weeks away from a vote in the House of Representatives, would exempt drones weighing less than 4.4 pounds (2 kg) from requirements including the need for an operator to acquire a pilot's license.

The FAA said the committee will develop recommendations for performance-based standards for drones that can be operated safely over people and determine how drone makers can comply with the requirements.

The agency will draft a rule making proposal after reviewing the committee's report.