As the last quarter of 2014 begins, those who work and play with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) -often referred to by the less technical term "drones" - continue watching for more FA A guidance regarding their remotely operated vehicles. To date, the agency has been moving slowly and uncharacteristically quietly towards establishing regulations that will allow UAVs to safely share the National Airspace System, particularly those finding popularity as commercial camera platforms. A ruling handed down by a federal judge in March of 2014 in the case of Pirker v. Huerta dismissed a $10,000 fine imposed upon a UAV pilot because, the judge said, a policy that prohibited Pirker from flying a photo shoot without the expressed permission of the FAA did not carry the weight of law. Since then, operators have been using their rotorcraft for everything from personal entertainment to making money as airborne video platforms with a greatly reduced fear of being fined.
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