
Nearly two years past its original congressionally mandate deadline, the Federal Aviation Administration has issued first operational rules for routine commercial use of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), an initial step to integrating UAS into U.S. airspace.The new rule, which takes effect in late August, offers safety regulations for unmanned aircraft drones weighing less than 55 pounds that are conducting non-hobbyist operations. Drones, which the FAA rule recognizes as a moniker for UAS, must be flown under 400 feet instead of the…