Drones delivering coffee? Trump administration wants more companies using UAVs

The Trump administration wants to make it easier for companies to use drones for business — from delivering coffee to inspecting power lines to working on farms.

On Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced a proposal to lay out the process by which companies could be approved to use drones in U.S. airspace and the rules they would have to follow.

In the past, commercial drone users operating beyond their line of sight had to apply for a waiver or exemption, which was awarded on a case-by-case basis, Duffy said. "And because of that complication, I don't think we saw the innovation that we should have in America."

The proposal comes about two months after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on drones, in part to speed up the use of unmanned aerial vehicles by businesses in the United States.

Duffy's announcement was welcomed by commercial drone operators, who said advancements in drone technology have outpaced the government's ability to regulate the aircraft.

"Drone operators must navigate a labyrinth of ill-suited regulations designed for crude aircraft, placing an artificial ceiling on innovation and hampering progress," said Lisa Ellman, CEO of the Commercial Drone Alliance.

"In the meantime, we've seen our global peers and adversaries surge ahead in the deployment of commercial drone technology," she added.

In an emailed statement to NPR, the Air Line Pilots Association said it was committed to working with the Department of Transportation to "ensure that emerging technologies and drone operations do not compromise aviation safety." The group added that "[r]ecent tragic events have underscored the critical importance of maintaining rigorous safety standards in our increasingly complex airspace, and we will continue advocating for policies that require all airspace users to operate with adequate surveillance, communication, and collision avoidance capabilities."

Under the proposed rule, drones used by businesses would have to be built to certain industry standards and have collision avoidance technology to ensure they maintain a safe separation from other aircraft, including commercial airplanes.

Commercial drones would be banned from flying over large outdoor gatherings, such as concerts and sporting events, and certain employees would be subject to a security check by the Transportation Security Administration.

Asked whether the skies are already too crowded, in light of the accident between a firefighting plane and a drone in Los Angeles this year, Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford said it was an example of why the proposal was necessary.

"That fact is, you know, we've got a little bit of the Wild West out there right now," Bedford said. "So regulating to a common standard, making sure the vehicles comply with our regulations and then surveilling that is a much better place than where we're at today."

The proposed rule will be open for public comment for 60 days.
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