FAA approves 4 companies to use drones for commercial purposes
Despite recently proposing guidelines that would make it almost impossible for businesses to fly drones for commercial purposes, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has suddenly gone and granted permission for four companies to use them.
The companies, Trimble Navigation Limited, VDOS Global, LLC, Clayco, Inc. and Woolpert, Inc. (which has been granted two exemptions), have been given permission to use drones for construction site monitoring, aerial surveillance and oil rig flare stack inspections, reports the Associated Press.
“Unmanned aircraft offer a tremendous opportunity to spur innovation and economic activity by enabling many businesses to develop better products and services for their customers and the American public,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. “We want to foster commercial uses of this exciting technology while taking a responsible approach to the safety of America’s airspace.”
The use of drones for commercial purposes has been banned in the United States since 2007, but the FAA has seen fit to grant exceptions on a case-by-case basis. Last September for example, Hollywood Studios were given the right to use drones in film production.
The FAA has been heavily criticized for its tough stance on drone use, with critics pointing out that its overly-cautious approach is curtailing innovation in the sector. As a result, several US companies, including Amazon.com Inc, have moved their drone development programs abroad, where legislation on their use is less restrictive.
Earlier this month, the FAA proposed guidelines on commercial drone use that were so restrictive it would be nigh on impossible for all but the biggest companies to actually use them. It’s guidelines stated that all drone operators must have a pilot’s license, drones must be flown at an altitude of less than 400 feet, could only operate in daylight hours, and only within the operator’s line of vision.
According to Foxx, the exemptions granted today were allowed because the operations do not pose any risk to national airspace. “The FAA’s first priority is the safety of our nation’s aviation system,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “Today’s exemptions are a step toward integrating UAS [unmanned aircraft system] operations safely.”
photo credit: Sam Beebe, Ecotrust via photopin cc
A message from John Furrier, co-founder of SiliconANGLE:
Support our mission to keep content open and free by engaging with theCUBE community. Join theCUBE’s Alumni Trust Network, where technology leaders connect, share intelligence and create opportunities.
- 15M+ viewers of theCUBE videos, powering conversations across AI, cloud, cybersecurity and more
- 11.4k+ theCUBE alumni — Connect with more than 11,400 tech and business leaders shaping the future through a unique trusted-based network.
About SiliconANGLE Media
SiliconANGLE Media is a recognized leader in digital media innovation, uniting breakthrough technology, strategic insights and real-time audience engagement. As the parent company of SiliconANGLE, theCUBE Network, theCUBE Research, CUBE365, theCUBE AI and theCUBE SuperStudios — with flagship locations in Silicon Valley and the New York Stock Exchange — SiliconANGLE Media operates at the intersection of media, technology and AI.
Founded by tech visionaries John Furrier and Dave Vellante, SiliconANGLE Media has built a dynamic ecosystem of industry-leading digital media brands that reach 15+ million elite tech professionals. Our new proprietary theCUBE AI Video Cloud is breaking ground in audience interaction, leveraging theCUBEai.com neural network to help technology companies make data-driven decisions and stay at the forefront of industry conversations.
