http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/...es-us-wont-allow-amazon-deliver-packages-air/
The FAA’s new rules for flying drones in the US won’t allow Amazon to deliver packages by air
The US’ Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Transportation have [URL='https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=18295']unveiled a proposal for rules governing the use of drones in the country. The regulations aim to maintain aviation safety standards, but also make it difficult for companies hoping to use drones to courier packages.
The listed limitations include flying unmanned aircraft weighing less than 55lb only between sunrise and sunset, and keeping the drone within a pilot’s line of sight, under 500 feet altitude. Operators are also prohibited from dropping cargo from drones.
That effectively kills Amazon’s plans for revolutionizing its delivery methods. Paul Misener, Amazon vice-president of global public policy, said in
a statement to the Guardian, “The FAA needs to begin and expeditiously complete the formal process to address the needs of our business, and ultimately our customers.
“We are committed to realizing our vision for Prime Air and are prepared to deploy where we have the regulatory support we need.”
While the new regulations won’t allow Amazon to deliver orders using unmanned aircraft, it could open up possibilities for drones to be used in search and rescue operations, and on construction sites and shipping docks.
The rules will require operators to be at least 17 years of age and to obtain an unmanned aircraft operator certificate.
In addition, pilots will need to pass a recurrent aeronautical knowledge test every two years and present their drones to the FAA for inspection upon request.
However, nothing is set in stone yet: the proposal will require the public to weigh in before it is implemented, and that could take up to two years. Until then, the
current rules governing unmanned aircraft operation remain in place.
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Copied and pasted the full article so you don't have to follow the link, and the regulations are linked in the article.[/URL]