Pursuits
FAA Says Yes to Civilian Drones—and No to Flying Robots
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The technology that makes it possible to build self-driving cars is moving much faster than the laws that would allow them to hit the roads. The same pattern may play out with self-flying drones.
The Federal Aviation Administration outlined for the first time how it will deal with the rise of the drones (pdf), moving from a system in which it issues approval on a drone-by-drone basis to a more systematic process. The report, produced on instructions from Congress, notes that drones are already integrated into disaster response, cargo transport, aerial mapping, and commercial photography, among other sanctioned uses.