The US Federal Aviation Administration has announced that it will allow small drones to fly over people and at night, for use in large-scale commercial deliveries.
The FAA has indicated that its long-awaited rules on drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, will address security concerns by requiring remote identification technology in most cases to enable their identification from the ground. According to the Al-Hurra channel website.
Previously, small drone operations were restricted to people directly involved in the operation, under a covered structure, or inside a stationary vehicle, unless the operators obtained approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The rules will become effective 60 days after they are published in the Federal Register in January. Drone manufacturers will have 18 months to start producing remote ID-equipped drones, and operators will have an additional year to provide remote ID.
“The new rules clear the way for the further integration of drones into our airspace by addressing safety and security concerns,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dixon. “They bring us closer to the day when we will routinely see drone operations such as package delivery.”
Companies are racing to create fleets of drones to speed up deliveries. The United States has more than 1.7 million drone registrations and 203,000 armed forces certified remote pilots
For night operations, the FAA said the drones should be equipped with anti-collision lights.
The federal administration requires that all drones weighing 0.55 lb (0.25 kg) or more be equipped with a remote ID, and it is also required for drones smaller than that under certain conditions such as flights over outdoor gatherings.
The International Unmanned Vehicle Systems Association said the remote identifier would serve as a "digital license plate for drones," and continued, "it will allow more complex operations and people to take several important steps to enable the integration of drones into our national airspace."
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