U.S. aviation regulators on Tuesday unveiled a new policy to speed up approval for the use of commercial drones in the United States under certain conditions.
The Federal Aviation Administration, in a move first reported by Reuters last week, said it would award "blanket" certification allowing companies exempt from a U.S. ban on commercial drones to begin using the aircraft at altitudes of up to 200 feet (61 meters) during daylight hours and within the operator's visual line of sight.
Up to now, companies exempt from the ban have had to seek certification for new drone use, a process that could take up to 60 days for each project.