WASHINGTON – The Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday that they have finalized the first operational rule for commercial drones and other small unmanned aircraft systems.
The new rule, which take effect in August, offers safety regulations for UAS weighing less than 55 pounds and conducting “non-hobbyist” operations.
The FAA says the new rule is designed to minimize risks to other aircraft, people and property on the ground.
“With this new rule, we are taking a careful and deliberate approach that balances the need to deploy this new technology with the FAA’s mission to protect public safety,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “But this is just our first step. We’re already working on additional rules that will expand the range of operations.”
The new regulations require pilots to be at least 16 years old and have a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating, or be directly supervised by someone with a certificate.
Pilots must also keep unmanned aircraft within visual line of sight, and only operate during daylight or twilight if the drone has anti-collision lights.
