US to Ease Long-Range Drone Rules in Boon for Walmart, Alphabet

President Donald Trump’s administration proposed a rule to allow more commercial drones to fly beyond an operator’s visual line of sight, a potential boon for companies such as Alphabet Inc.’s Wing unit and Walmart Inc. pushing to deliver packages by autonomous aircraft.

The proposal would end years of case-by-case federal approvals for long-range drone flights that companies say have stifled industry growth. The change is expected to streamline operations for drone delivery firms and expand the use of unmanned aircraft in other sectors such as farming and manufacturing.