Dive Brief:

• In a departure from its stance against the commercial use of drones, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration Thursday said that six companies could employ drones in movie-making.

• Observers were quick to call the move, though limited to six of seven movie companies that appealed to the agency, the beginning of a new chapter in commercial drone use in the United States. An answer to the seventh request is imminent, the agency said.

• Safety and privacy advocates have opposed commercial drone use, and the FAA has been cautious so far in allowing it.

Dive Insight:

It’s easy to see why many observers, whether they support or oppose commercial drone use, view this move by the FAA as a long-anticipated, and in some cases hoped for, opening of a door. Countries like Canada and Australia have been more open to commercial drone use, while the FAA in stark contrast has been extremely cautious.

But what this really means for the long-term prospects for retail drone delivery remains to be seen. The use in Hollywood will be limited, and these permissions are limited. The agency says it determined that the use it approved last week would “not pose a risk to national airspace users.” That could be much different for delivery drones, which would presumably require permissions over a larger space and for longer terms.