We had been expecting this for a while now for the government to come forward with a long never-ending list of regulations to curb the increasing use of drones. The FAA has finally come forward with a frigging 624-page rulebook that has some roughly 170,000 words that qualify as a medium-sized novel in paperback. Now we know and appreciate the extensive use of drones can be dangerous for the surroundings but being preventive is one thing and being a regulatory bully to curb this new field is what is being pursued by the government. Here is what we can understand from the regulations so far:
1. A person must be at least 16 years old to fly a drone
2. People under 16 need to be supervised while flying it.
3. It should only be operated maintaining visual sight.
4. An individual needs to pass an initial aeronautical knowledge test or have a non-student Part 61 pilot certificate. The Transport Security Authority will conduct background checks on people trying to obtain a drone license and it will probably be more strict than the gun background checks since there isn’t much of a lobby here.
5. The maximum weight can be 55 pounds.
6. Can’t fly for more than 400 feet off the ground and above 400 mph.
Now how can Amazon and other delivery companies use drones to deliver them directly to one’s doorsteps when they aren’t even allowed to operate beyond the line of sight? That is where the “exceptions” come into play. Apparently, all these rules aren’t for everybody. Companies and corporations can get a waiver from these rules from the FAA after submitting enough paperwork and of course money. Why is the government so hell-bent on being a tool about new technology that is both exciting and practical? Let us know your comments in the section below.
If you have the patience to go through the entire thing, it is available here.