WASHINGTON (AP) – Federal officials say they allow operators to fly small drones over people and at night, potentially boosting commercial use of the machines.
Most drones need to be equipped so that they can be remotely identified by law enforcement officers.
The final rules announced Monday by the Federal Aviation Administration “bring us closer to the day when we will see more frequent drone operations such as parcel delivery,” said FAA administrator Stephen Dickson.
According to the transportation department, drones are the fastest growing segment in all transportation, with more than 1.7 million registered users.
However, widespread commercial use of the machines has developed much more slowly than many proponents expected. Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos once predicted his company would use drones to deliver goods to customers within five years, but that forecast has been delayed for two years.
There have been several tests and limited use. United Parcel Service said it received permission to operate a nationwide fleet of drones last year and has already delivered hundreds at a hospital campus in North Carolina.
Last year, Google sister company Wing Aviation also won FAA approval for commercial drone flights in a corner of Virginia.
And last August, Amazon received similar FAA approval deliver parcels by drones. The company is still testing the service and has not said when it will be delivered to shoppers.
For drone supporters impatient with the pace of adoption, regulatory hurdles are a major complaint. Currently, operators who want to fly a drone over people or at night need an exemption from the FAA.
The new rules require drones used at night to contain flashing lights that can be seen from up to three miles away. Operators need special training. Small drones flying over people should not have rotating parts capable of cutting the skin.
The rules for flight over people and at night will come into effect in about two months. They are finalizing the proposed rules published last year.
All drones required to be registered with the FAA must have equipment that broadcasts their identification, location, and monitoring station or be used in FAA-approved areas. The so-called remote ID was a requirement imposed by Congress at the urging of national security and law enforcement agencies.
Drone manufacturers have 18 months to start making drones with external ID, and operators then have a year to start using drones with external ID.