New FAA Rules Allow US Companies to Fly Drones Without a License

It looks like the Federal Aviation Administration is looking to change the way drones are being used by commercial operators, and even though “Part 107” of these revised rules won’t help us get any closer to actual drone deliveries, those who use drones commercially for other purposes will definitely benefit from them. Up until now, non-profit entities such as real estate agents, farmers or photographers needed to have pilot licenses in order to operate drones lawfully, but things are about to change thanks to the introduction of a knowledge test and certificate that focuses primarily on drone flying.

Furthermore, it looks like operators can actually fly drones without any certificate whatsoever as long as they are supervised by someone who is certified. According to DJI spokesperson Adam Lisberg, these new rules will encourage government agencies, farmers, academic researchers and other businesses to use drones. Part 107 can very well be seen as an act of confidence from the FAA, and it will definitely allow drones to gain a larger foothold in national airspace. Still, companies such as UPS, Amazon and Walmart have to wait a bit longer in order to be able to deploy autonomous drones for delivery purposes, as current regulations state that operators need to maintain line of sight with the device at all times.