The Evolution Of Drone Regulations
By Rakesh Sharma | November 3, 2015 — 10:16 PM EST
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As drones become popular and find a wide variety of consumer and commercial operations, drone regulations are also taking flight. Several countries have already formalized or are in the process of formalizing rules and laws relating to drone operations. In turn, these new laws could pave the way for a thriving market in drones. (For more, see How Drones Are Changing The Business World.)
Why Drone Regulations Are Necessary
There are two reasons why countries are moving at a breakneck speed to regulate drones.
The first is related to the commercial prospects of drone operations. According to the Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International, …show more content…
But the continent's drone regulations have not kept pace with the industry's growth. Right now drone regulations vary between each member state in the EU. Earlier this year the the European Aeronautics and Space Agency (EASA) released a draft of European rules for drones. The EASA draft provides a cohesive framework across boundaries and geographies. While the previous set of drafts distinguished drones on the basis of their size, the current set add drone functions and their use context to the mix. The current draft does not distinguish between commercial or non-commercial use.
The new EASA laws place drones into three categories based on risks and governing authority. For example, the open category is a low-risk category for drones that weighs less than 55 lbs. Such drones are regulated by local police. The specific category exceeds restrictions for open categories and is governed by a combination of state and EU laws. It is a medium-risk category. Finally, the certified category treats drones as manned aircraft and requires the same phalanx of checks and balances as airplanes. The commission is expected to present a draft law for the open category by December …show more content…
He cautions that lawmakers are overreacting to mishaps and criminalizing drone operators, however. California Governor Jerry Brown gave the same reason when he vetoed a bill that made it illegal to fly drones over wildfires, schools and prisons. “Each of these bills creates a new crime – usually by finding a novel way to characterize and criminalize conduct that is already proscribed,” he wrote in his veto
By Rakesh Sharma | November 3, 2015 — 10:16 PM EST
Share
As drones become popular and find a wide variety of consumer and commercial operations, drone regulations are also taking flight. Several countries have already formalized or are in the process of formalizing rules and laws relating to drone operations. In turn, these new laws could pave the way for a thriving market in drones. (For more, see How Drones Are Changing The Business World.)
Why Drone Regulations Are Necessary
There are two reasons why countries are moving at a breakneck speed to regulate drones.
The first is related to the commercial prospects of drone operations. According to the Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International, …show more content…
But the continent's drone regulations have not kept pace with the industry's growth. Right now drone regulations vary between each member state in the EU. Earlier this year the the European Aeronautics and Space Agency (EASA) released a draft of European rules for drones. The EASA draft provides a cohesive framework across boundaries and geographies. While the previous set of drafts distinguished drones on the basis of their size, the current set add drone functions and their use context to the mix. The current draft does not distinguish between commercial or non-commercial use.
The new EASA laws place drones into three categories based on risks and governing authority. For example, the open category is a low-risk category for drones that weighs less than 55 lbs. Such drones are regulated by local police. The specific category exceeds restrictions for open categories and is governed by a combination of state and EU laws. It is a medium-risk category. Finally, the certified category treats drones as manned aircraft and requires the same phalanx of checks and balances as airplanes. The commission is expected to present a draft law for the open category by December …show more content…
He cautions that lawmakers are overreacting to mishaps and criminalizing drone operators, however. California Governor Jerry Brown gave the same reason when he vetoed a bill that made it illegal to fly drones over wildfires, schools and prisons. “Each of these bills creates a new crime – usually by finding a novel way to characterize and criminalize conduct that is already proscribed,” he wrote in his veto