FAA FINALIZES NEW FEDERAL RULES ON THE COMMERCIAL USE OF DRONES; AGC SCHEDULES FOLLOW-UP PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY FOR CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS

摘要

ON JUNE 21, 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) finalized a new and comprehensive set of rules for the commercial use of small drones in all industries, including construction. This action completes a rulemaking process that the FAA began in February of 2015 - in an effort to meet Congressional demands and to stem a rapidly rising tide of applications for individual exemptions from longstanding rules that make no distinction between manned and unmanned aircraft. Through January 20 of this year, the FAA had granted 3,136 of these exemptions for the commercial use of drones, and significantly, 48 percent of that total were for uses in the construction and engineering.