The FAA might require licenses for commercial drones

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Federal Aviation Administration is set to announce new regulations about commercial drones.

Unnamed sources familiar with the ruling told the Journal that drone operators may need pilot licenses, and commercial drone flights will only be allowed during daylight hours. Sources also reported that commercial drone flights will need to be below 400 feet in the air and within sight of the control person.

Before the new ruling, the FAA "essentially" banned drones from commercial use, the Journal notes. The sources suggest that the new regulations will allow drones to be used for filmmaking, farming, and construction. The news comes roughly six years after the drone industry sought government guidelines about commercial drone usage.

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The Journal reports that the FAA should announce the proposed drone regulations by the end of the year.