Update – Here is a link to the FAA Press Release.
The FAA and Department of Transportation will hold a rare Sunday morning news conference to release the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on the use of small unmanned aerial systems in the National Airspace System (NAS). In an even more rare Saturday night statement, the agency outlined what to expect: “The rule is specifically aimed at increasing the routine use of small UAS for business purposes, and does not apply to model aircraft used for recreational purposes. We already have rules in place for that,” the statement said. “The proposed rule includes operational limitations – such as daylight only operations, maintain a visual line of sight with the aircraft at all times and height restrictions.”
The NPRM just starts the process of implementing the rules. Significant rules like this normally come with a 90-day comment period and there are likely to be thousands of comments, every one of which the FAA must take into consideration. It could be months or more likely years before the final rule is enacted.
Thanks to Bill Gutelius who was on vacation for the heads up.
