Dive Brief:

• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says it plans to issue final regulations for operating small commercial drones by the middle of 2016. 
• Current regulations prevent commercial uses of drones such as Amazon Prime Air, which is seeking to carry packages up to 10 miles at altitudes of 200 to 500 feet. 
• FAA rules currently prohibit drones weighing less than 55 pounds from flying beyond the operator’s line of sight. 

Dive Insight:

Amazon’s proposed Prime Air delivery service, which would employ unmanned drones to transport five-pound packages up to 10 miles in 30 minutes or less, may soon get a boost from the Federal Aviation Adminstration (FAA). According to remarks made by FAA Deputy Administrator Michael Whitaker in a hearing of the House Oversight Committee, the agency will issue a final rule governing such flights within a year. Under current regulations, unmanned aircraft systems weighing less than 55 pounds are prohibited from going beyond the line of sight.

Amazon has so far only run limited tests of its Prime Air service.

“Not only do we think our customers will love this service, we believe it will benefit society more broadly,” said Paul Misener, Amazon’s vice president of global public policy, in a prepared testimony. “Once operational, Prime Air will increase the overall safety and efficiency of the current ground transportation system, by allowing people to skip the quick trip to the store or by reducing package deliveries by truck or car.”