Part 107 to Spur UAS Industry Growth

Part 107 of the Small UAS Rule goes into effect today.  This is a milestone in the development of the commercial UAS industry in the United States.  Part 107 is part of Chapter 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and allows commercial drone use without a Section 333 Exemption.  With Part 107 now in full force and effect, it is widely foreseen that new drone markets and UAS applications designed to exploit them will proliferate. The FAA sees its role as a facilitator as U.S.-based industry embraces the challenges of a rapidly growing worldwide  drone market.

A Section 333 Exemption was the earlier framework for FAA authorization of commercial drone flying prior to the change in the law brought about by Part 107.  Under Part 107, commercial flying of drones is allowed under certain limited conditions. The drone pilot must pass an initial aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-approved testing center, and does not need to hold a pilot’s license. Flights must be conducted in daylight and within visual line of sight (VLOS), cannot exceed 100 mph, and a number of additional restrictions apply.  The hexcopter shown is one of several drone designs sold in stock and custom configurations by  Innov8tive Designs, www.innov8tivedesigns.com, (760) 468-8838.

A primer on Part 107 and the new legal framework can found here. The new framework is designed to spur the growth of the industry in a permissive, open regulatory environment.  It can be said that today marks a new dawn in the era of the drone.