FAA's Rules for Commercial Drone Use ‘Kick in’

New Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules for operating commercial drones went into effect Monday, making it easier for businesses to use the flying robots for a variety of applications.

Drones must weigh less than 55 pounds, remain in the operator’s visual line-of-sight, operate during daylight, fly at a maximum height of 400 feet and groundspeed of 100 mph, among a host of FAA requirements.

The new rules also require those flying a small unmanned aircraft to obtain a remote pilot certificate with a specialized rating, which requires taking a 60-part multiple choice test.

The new process is easier than the previous requirement for drone operators to apply for special waivers to use unmanned aerial vehicles for business, such as building or bridge inspections, surveying, filming and photography, search and rescue, or even package delivery.

One question is how such devices would function in crowded cities, where an accident could cause an injury to people on the ground.