Jack Nicas and Andy Pasztor report:
Federal regulators proposed long-awaited rules for commercial drones in the U.S., a landmark in the nation’s aviation policy that is expected to lead to a new era in which unmanned aircraft become common.
The Federal Aviation Administration proposed a policy that would replace the current near-ban on flying drones for commercial purposes with a simple approval process for operators governing commercial flight of any drone up to 55 pounds. Operators would be required only to pass a written exam on FAA rules to obtain a certificate from the agency for drone flying, and to comply with certain safety requirements. The test must be passed again every two years.
What about privacy issues, you ask? The FAA proposal doesn’t address them, even though President Obama’s statement today about government use of drones does address privacy concerns.
Read more on WSJ.
Related: Overview on Proposed Rulemaking