FAA

FAA gives Measure approval to fly 300 UAS nationwide

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By Patrick C. Miller | September 10, 2015
  • UAS operator Measure has been granted a Section 333 exemption by the FAA that enables it to fly more than 300 different types of drone platforms.
    PHOTO: MEASURE

Measure—a global UAS operator that provides data to enterprise customers—has received authorization from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to operate more than 300 drone types for a broad range of commercial applications.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., with offices in New York, Africa, Australia and Europe, Measure called the approval “a significant move forward for the commercial drone industry.” The Section 333 exemption also made Measure the first business in Washington to receive FAA approval for commercial flights.

“Measure is in the process of building its fleet,” said Brandon Torres Declet, the company’s CEO. “We believe that the future of the industry is services, not hardware. Our business model is not one size fits all. We worked with the FAA to have access to the widest range of options.”

Declet said Measure’s “drone as a service” model is focused on offering turnkey solutions to customers in agriculture, energy, insurance, infrastructure and other sectors. He stressed that the company takes a “platform agnostic” approach which focuses on data rather than the UAS providing it.

The FAA exemption makes it easier for Measure to operate a fleet of UAS to serve a broad range of customers.

“Submitting a new request to the FAA every time we needed a different type of drone is time-consuming and inefficient,” Declet explained.

Asked what it means for Measure to be the first nationwide drone service company, Declet told UAS Magazine, “It means in addition to being able to fly anywhere in the U.S., we are also capable of providing customers with a standardized and predictable service that is also safe, legal and insured.”

And, he added, “While the FAA’s blanket COA enables us to fly across the U.S. below 200 feet, our exemption for more than 300 aircraft gives us the toolset to serve a diverse set of customers.”

http://www.uasmagazine.com/articles/1240/faa-gives-measure-approval-to-fly-300-uas-nationwide

A Look at the 333 Exemption Process

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Guest Post: Chris Costello is the Chief Training Officer and a Co-Founder at DARTDRONES.

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“By law, any aircraft operation in the national airspace requires a certificated and registered aircraft, a licensed pilot, and operational approval.”

Section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 allows the Secretary of Transportation​ to ​determine if a Certificate of Airworthiness is required for UAS operation. The​ 333 exemption allows for the commercial use of “drones”​ prior to the FAA finalizing the small UAS rules–which could be one to three years out.  While the process was previously a laborious one, the FAA 333 exemption process has been streamlined over the last six months. However, that doesn’t mean you will receive your 333 exemption overnight.

The FAA sets expectations for application review at 120 days after submitting. This is not guaranteed. If using drones is going to be a critical part of your business operations (or could be), 120 days for an uncertain outcome can be tough to accept. In order to increase your odds of success and you need to put care into the application. The critical piece is making sure you know what to request an exemption from and explaining how it makes it safe to the public for your entity to have the exemption.

Below, find “four step guide” for applying for an FAA 333 exemption:

I. Identify A Pilot

Before you apply for a 333 exemption, you need to make sure that it’s within your ability to hire a pilot with a manned aircraft pilot’s license. Every flight must be overseen by a licensed pilot. Any of the official pilots licenses will work: ATP, CFII, CFI, Commercial, Private, Recreational, or Sport.  It’s important to fully weigh the implications of this requirement. Will you hire a pilot? Full or part-time? Will you or a current employee attempt to become licensed? A pilot’s license is commitment, in both time and money, but could pay-off depending on how you plan on using drones  in your business.

II. Submit an Application

The application process typically results in a 12 page legal document which includes a comprehensive write-up of your equipment, your intended use for a UAS, a description of your company, and a request to be “exempt” from multiple FAA regulations. If you plan on using a custom drone, use the aircraft for a novel purposes (no prior precedent), etc., you’ll need to put in extra time into preparing your application. For the custom drone, for example, you’ll need to have created a detailed user manual and documentation, etc.

At the beginning of 2015, there were roughly 50 exemptions.  As of 6 Aug 15 there were 1,111 exemptions granted.  Even though the number of granted exemptions has increased, approval is not a guarantee upon submission. We highly recommend having someone who knows the process complete your exemption for you.

IIa. Wait

Turnaround times vary considerably, but the average time for a notification have decreased drastically since exemptions began. For our consulting clients, we’ve seen times of around two months. From discussions with other drone operators, we’ve heard of ranges from one month to six months.

IIb. Receive your notification

The FAA notifies companies with an award or rejection via email. If you are approved: congratulations, time to move onto the next step! If you are rejected, you can re-apply, but it would make sense to get in touch with some other drone operators and exempted companies to see how you can strengthen your application.

III. File for an N-Number

After receiving your exemption, you pick up slips from your local FAA office and submit a short application for an N-number. An n-number, simply put, is a registration number for your aircraft (in this case, your drone). Your application will describe your aircraft–where you purchased, copy of your receipt (needs to be purchased from a US vendor), who is the primary owner (business of individual), and planned use.

IV. Fly

You must use a manned aircraft pilot for all flights. For every flight, you must file a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) and send it to the FAA.  While flying the UAS, your operating documents must be accessible during and made available to the Administrator upon request. On a monthly basis, you must send an update to the FAA. The message here is transparency and accountability. Keep everything you do documented–a flight logbook is HIGHLY recommended–and keep a line open to the FAA; if you stick to that, you’ll have no troubles.

Chris Costello is the Chief Training Officer and a Co-Founder at DARTDRONES, a drone training school and UAS services company. He heads up curriculum development and instructor training and is a proud veteran of the US Army.

http://dronelife.com/2015/09/09/a-look-at-the-333-exemption-process/

CA: Governor Brown vetoes SB142

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SB142

The idea of Senate Bill 142 has caused much pain in California mass letter writing campaigns ensued and it seems they might have worked!

In July, the California Assembly Judiciary Committee voted 9-to-1 to pass SB 142, a bill that would ban drones from flying over private property at distances under 350 feet without consent.

“Drones have a lot of helpful and extremely innovative uses. But invading our privacy and property without permission shouldn’t be among them,” said Democratic state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, who wrote the bill.

The AMA ran one of the letter writing campaigns, here’s what Rich Hanson had to say:-

 

This was the shape of it

SB 142, Jackson. Civil law: unmanned aerial vehicles.
Existing federal law, the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, provides for the integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems, commonly known as drones, into the national airspace system by September 30, 2015. Existing federal law requires the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to develop and implement operational and certification requirements for the operation of public unmanned aircraft systems in the national airspace system by December 31, 2015.
Existing law deems the detriment caused by wrongful occupation of real property to be the value of the use of the property for the time of the wrongful occupation, the reasonable cost of repair or restoration of the property, and the costs of recovering the possession.
This bill would extend liability for wrongful occupation of real property and damages to a person who operates an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system, as defined, less than 350 feet above ground level within the airspace overlaying the real property, without the express permission of the person or entity with the legal authority to grant access or without legal authority.

DIGEST KEY

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal Committee: no   Local Program: no

BILL TEXT

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1.

Section 1708.83 is added to the Civil Code, to read:

1708.83.

(a) A person wrongfully occupies real property and is liable for damages pursuant to Section 3334 if, without express permission of the person or entity with the legal authority to grant access or without legal authority, he or she operates an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system less than 350 feet above ground level within the airspace overlaying the real property.

(b) For purposes of this section:
(1) “Unmanned aircraft” means an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft.
(2) “Unmanned aircraft system” means an unmanned aircraft and associated elements, including communication links and the components that control the unmanned aircraft, that are required for the pilot in command to operate safely and efficiently in the national airspace system.
(c) This section shall not be construed to impair or limit any otherwise lawful activities of law enforcement personnel or employees of governmental agencies or other public or private entities that may have the right to enter land by operating an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system within the airspace overlaying the real property of another, including the right to use private lands acquired pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 1009.
(d) Nothing in this section is intended to limit the rights and defenses available at common law under a claim of liability for wrongful occupation of real property.

SEC. 2.

Section 21012 of the Public Utilities Code is amended to read:

21012.

“Aircraft” means any manned contrivance used or designed for navigation of, or flight in, the air requiring certification and registration as prescribed by federal statute or regulation. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, manned lighter-than-air balloons and ultralight vehicles as defined in the regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration (14 C.F.R. Part 103), whether or not certificated by the Federal Aviation Administration, shall not be considered to be aircraft for purposes of this part. “Aircraft” shall not include an unmanned aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft.

US: How To Use Your Drone For Business.

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CommLawBlog details three steps to get FAA approval for commercial drone use
September 9, 2015

ARLINGTON, VA.—Many drone enthusiasts probably took some time this past Labor Day weekend flying their unmanned aircraft systems for recreation. Recreational use is the primary way for people to utilize UAS as the FAA makes people go through detailed processes to use them for anything else. Or so we thought.

CommLawBlog, which focuses on communication laws, recently posted a story detailing just how you can get FAA approval to use your UAS commercially. With the FAA still working on new rules for commercial UAS use, people can work their way to approval in three steps.

The first step is acquiring a Section 333 Exemption. The FAA’s 333 Exemption process is a temporary process until the agency issues permanent rules. It expedites the process by allowing would-be UAS operators to obtain both an Airworthiness Certificate and a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization in a single process. In a nutshell, the process requires that the user show that a UAS is airworthy and the proposed operation will satisfy the FAA’s temporary rules.

One thing that cannot be abbreviated, though, is the airman certification standards. All users operating commercial drones in the National Airspace System must have FAA airman certification. The FAA does, however, allow those with sport or recreation pilot certificates fly UAS commercially. In addition to a Section 333 Exemption and an airman certificate, users must register their UAS with the FAA.

Other requirements include that all UAS weigh less than 55 pounds and they do not fly within certain distances of airports, otherwise restricted airspace, or in certain densely populated areas.

This process is temporary, as the Section 333 Exemption will no longer be applicable as soon as the FAA passes its new rules. According to CommLawBlog, if you were to apply for a Section 333 Exemption now, you could be approved to operate a commercial UAS by early 2016.

http://www.tvtechnology.com/news/0002/how-to-use-your-drone-for-business/276967

Criminal Charges Filed Against Teacher Who Crashed 3DR Solo Drone into U.S. Open

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Daniel-Verley

Enrico Schaefer

How might ‘The U.S. Open Drone Guy” defend himself in Court?

You can be prosecuted for violating FAA regulations, or state criminal laws for negligent or reckless drone operation.  Just ask Daniel Verley. He crashed his drone into the stands at the U.S. Open tennis tournament and has already been charged with criminal recklessness.

What are the possible defenses Daniel Verley can assert against the criminal charges of “reckless endangerment, reckless operation of a drone and operating a drone outside the prescribed area” filed against him by the New York prosecuting attorney?  We still don’t know much.  But we can guess how this drone accident might be defended in court.

The school teacher from New York City turned himself and and was was arrested early Friday morning, hours after he allegedly crashed a small #DR Solo quadcopter drone into the stands at the US Open tennis tournament in Queens, New York.  It is unclear whether he gave a statement to the police and incriminated himself, or exercised his right to remain silent (which would have been a good idea in this situation for sure).

We have not seen the formal charges, but one likely charge is violation of New York Penal – Article 120 – § 120.20 Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree.  It’s a misdemeanor.

§ 120.20 Reckless endangerment in the second degree.
A person is guilty of reckless endangerment in the second degree when he recklessly engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person. Reckless endangerment in the second degree is a class A misdemeanor.

Endangerment involves conduct that is defined as reckless or wanton, and likely to produce death or bodily harm to other people. THE threshold of proof for the New York prosecuting attorney will be establishing that  Mr. Verley recklessly engaged in conduct which created a substantial risk of serious physical injury. So what was Mr. Verley’s conduct?

Don’t Convict Daniel Verley Just Yet. He is innocent until proven guilty.

It could be that Daniel Verley  was flying his drone and lost site of it, accidentally flying it into the US Open stadium by accident.  If that is the case, and he was otherwise operating safely, the prosecuting attorney may not be able to establish beyond any reasonable doubt that his conduct was “reckless” or that Daniel Verley exhibited a “culpable disregard of foreseeable consequences to others.”  The crash itself won’t be enough proof to get a conviction.

This case will be interesting as it may set the stage for many state criminal cases charging reckless drone operation.  Drone crashes are becoming more common.   Flying drones over people ‘for fun’ and ‘great video’ is starting to happen with more frequency.  Flying your drone over people who are not part of the flight is considered poor form, at the least, and considered unlawful to many including the FAA. Each state get’s to decide for itself what it considers reckless.  And attorneys will argue whether state criminal and civil laws are preempted by federal laws and FAA regulations which allow certain flights.   We expect lots of drone operators to claim that the drone simply flew off. “Blame it on the drone” will become a very common defense against criminal charges brought against drone operators, as well as defenses to negligence claims causing injury to property damage. Drones are notorious for “complaints of fly aways.”

While the prosecutor does not have to establish ‘intent’ – i.e. thatDaniel Verley  intended to cause harm, the ultimate question is whether, under all the circumstances, the accused’s conduct was made it actually or imminently dangerous to the rights or safety of others.

So don’t convict Mr. Daniel Verley as guilty just yet.  We have not heard his side of the story.  If he is smart, he turned himself in and immediately pled the 5th Amendment, and remained silent.  The prosecuting attorney needs more evidence than the drone crashing at the U.S. Open stadium to prove reckless endangerment.  He will have to show that the operation was reckless. Here are factors which might be used against Daniel Verley in court, assuming the prosecuting attorney can get the evidence admitted though witnesses:

  • If Daniel Verley admits he was trying to fly into the stadium, or above the stadium, to take pictures in or around the U.S. Open.  This might be deemed reckless as it violates any number of flight standards and regulations. Recreational and hobbyists may not be able to pled ‘ignorance’ when it comes to safe flying standards.  If you buy and fly a drone without educating yourself, that could be deemed a indication of recklessness.
  • If Daniel Verley had little experience flying a drone before putting it in the air.  While fly -aways happen all the time, the are mostly caused by user error.  Flying in the wrong flight mode, mistaking how your joysticks navigate the aircraft and entering the wrong ‘home point’ are rookie mistakes.
  • Flying beyond ‘line of sight’ is a big no-no.  The recreational drone community understands that you never fly beyond what you can see.  Jsut because you can fly, does not mean you should.  And just because the drone can travel well beyond your ability to see it, does not mean you should.
  • One big issue will be whether a prosecuting attorney can introduce community Remote Aircraft standards such as “know before you fly” standards or FAA regulations.  We all have a good idea of what it means to drive negligently or recklessly.  It is unclear what constitutes unsafe flight.

One of the ironies here is that If Daniel Verley was a teacher at Academy of Innovative Technology in Brooklyn.  This suggests he may have had previous drone experience as a pilot.  UAV are THE most innovative technology on the market right now.  The fact that he was flying a pretty expensive 3DR Solo (Over $2,000 with camera and extras), also suggests that he may not have been a novice.

The FAA can also Levy fines as high as $10,000 for reckless operation of a drone in the NAS.

Let’s not forge that the FAA has jurisdiction over the National Airspace (NAS) and can levy fines against commercial drone operations as well as hobbyists. It would not be surprising to see the FAA issue fines for Verley as well before this is over.

https://www.dronelaw.pro/criminal-charges-filed-against-teacher-who-crashed-3dr-solo-drone-into-us-open/

Supporting Blasting Operations with UAS

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image

Using unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) imagery and mapping software Pix4Dmapper, the Explosives Risk Managers company supported quarries in Virginia and Ohio: accurately measuring stockpile volumes and excavated materials, measuring borehole locations, and monitoring blast sites, all at a low cost, high accuracy and in completely safe worker conditions…

Project Description

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As technology for acquiring aerial images improves, UAS have emerged as providers of ideal, flexible visual perspectives which might not otherwise be attainable due to personnel safety and high cost. Additionally, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented an exemption process and regulation for commercial operators in late 2014, opening the sky for many UAS applications.

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The aim of these projects, surveys of a stockyard and a blasting operation in the states of Virginia and Ohio by the Explosives Risk Managers LLC (ERM), was to support blasting without putting people in danger. UAS flying at low altitude can take images or videos with extremely high resolution and at any angle. UAS can be applied to assist the blast-in-charge with post-blast inspections. During the blast cycle, using a UAS minimized the personnel risk and ensured the blast area was secure.

Data Acquisition

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A DJI Inspire1 and Phantom 2 Vision + was used to acquire images and videos over stockyards, capturing images at only 45 meters altitude and at 2 cm GSD. 6 ground control points were used to assure global accuracy of the stockpile survey.

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Achieved Results

With the assistance of the photogrammetric software Pix4Dmapper, several 2D and 3D outputs were obtained. Those results enabled the following measurements and analysis as well as provided deep background for future hazard prevention.

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The stockpile volumes were accurately measured with a hundred-million-point point cloud generated. Models of before and after cut volumes could be compared to determine the volume excavated. Fill volumes are also monitored and kept track of for more efficient equipment use and to limit over-handling the excavated materials.

The 3D model of a blast bench can be combined with data from a borehole tracking system to identify areas of weakness and over-confinement. The results and the spatial information of the scene were preserved for later analysis, engineering applications of potential post-accident comparisons, and historical records.

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The topographic maps and the digital surface model (DSM) were used to make engineering decisions on design and quality control of the entire project, and the orthomosaic was used for determining the accuracy of borehole collar locations and measuring actual burdens and spacing for drilling applications. It was also imported into WipFrag (fragmentation analysis software) to determine size distribution of pile surfaces.

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Advantage of This New Technology

UAS and Pix4Dmapper can provide more precise survey data for less cost. Processing all the acquired images took only a few hours, generating a point cloud, 3D model, and orthomosaic of the entire region. The high resolution 3D model made before blasting provided valuable blasting data, the images and videos captured on the day of blast helped clearance of the blast area, and after the muck was removed, the full cycle is completed by making another post-blast 3D model. These procedures cost a lot less time and money than traditional aerial photogrammetry, yet provide much more detailed spatial information, and they are also less influenced by most weather conditions. Conclusively, the new technology of UAS-image processing can perform entire tasks efficiently and in completely human-safe conditions.

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Author:

Lon Santis (Principal of ERM LLC)

Dale Ramsey (General Manager of Senex Explosives)

Lisa Chen (Technical Communication Manager of Pix4D SA)

http://blog.pix4d.com/post/127642506041/supporting-blasting-operations-with-uas

Akron, OH: Startup, Event 38, is bringing drone technology down on the farm

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e384arkon

By Robert L. Smith, The Plain Dealer

AKRON, Ohio–Drinking in the scene as you drive through Ohio farm country these days, you might guess that the corn is about as high as an elephant’s eye, as the oldsong goes.

Farmers, it turns out, need a surer assessment of the height and the health of their crops. Unseen pests and weeds can hobble those racing rows of corn. It’s not easy to inspect hundreds of acres of soybeans near the full bloom of harvest.

Jeff Taylor, a 27-year old rocket scientist with a passion for unmanned aircraft, is offering farmers a new, bird’s eye view. His Akron startup, Event 38 Unmanned Systems, is bringing drone technology to the farm belt –and maybe giving Ohio an edge in a blossoming industry.

Taylor’s pilotless, miniature airplanes–which snap high-resolution photos of crops, cattle, soil and much else that farmers worry about–are selling about as fast as he can make them.

Brisk online sales hint at a market ready to mushroom. The company is selling 15 to 20 drones a month, with about half going abroad, Taylor said.

Drones remain a little outlaw, as inventors and entrepreneurs wait for the Federal Aviation Administration to write the rules of the game. But most experts agree a new industry is dawning fast.  As it pioneers a niche, Event 38 is expecting to soar.

John Blair, a seasoned entrepreneur from San Francisco, recently joined the two-year-old company as second in command. He’s assembling an executive team and looking for capital to build out the technology platform.

Meanwhile, the company is working with Ohio State University’s Agricultural Research and Development Center in Wooster, refining the art of crop scouting.

And Taylor, an aerospace engineering graduate of Case Western Reserve University, is nearing his dream of seeing drones put to useful, even essential use.

He’s been tinkering with flying machines for years, building better, cheaper and more helpful drones as fellow hobbyists were content to race them through the air, he says.

“I thought, ‘Man, I’ve got to get this out there,” he said of his work. “These things could be useful to a lot of people.”

One of his first jobs, with spacecraft maker SpaceX in California, gave him the company name. His part of a space flight project had the dramatic title Event 38.

read more http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2014/09/an_akron_startup_event_38_is_b.html

FAA Selects New Unmanned Aircraft Executives

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by  • 

FAA-Puma1

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected Marke “Hoot” Gibson and Earl Lawrence for two executive-level positions that will guide the agency’s approach to safe, timely and efficient integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into U.S. airspace.

Hoot Gibson will become the Senior Advisor on UAS Integration, a position established to focus on external outreach and education, inter-agency initiatives and an enterprise-level approach to FAA management of UAS integration efforts.  He will report directly to the FAA Deputy Administrator.

Gibson previously served as Executive Director of the NextGen Institute, which provides professional services to the UAS Joint Program Development Office. He has also owned his own aviation consulting firm, and held numerous senior command and staff positions  during a 33-year U.S. Air Force career.

Earl Lawrence will become the Director of the UAS Integration Office within the FAA’s Aviation Safety organization. He will lead the FAA’s efforts to safely and effectively integrate UAS into the nation’s airspace.

During almost five years as Director of the FAA Small Airplane Directorate, Lawrence was responsible for 17 aircraft certification and manufacturing district offices in 21 states from Alaska to Florida. Before coming to the agency in 2010, he had been Vice President for Industry & Regulatory Affairs at the Experimental Aircraft Association since 1994.

Both executives will assume their positions later this month.

For more information on the FAA and UAS, go to http://www.faa.gov/uas.

– See more at: https://www.sensorsandsystems.com/news/top-stories/corporate-news/36915-faa-selects-new-unmanned-aircraft-executives.html#sthash.nI1ypwlc.dpuf

CA: RCAPA response to SB142

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RCAPAnew

Dear Governor Brown,

We appeal to you to not sign SB142 into law. We are concerned that the Bill is potentially flawed, as representatives may not fully understand all of the complexities and nuances of safety regulating the national airspace system. It is a complex undertaking not to be taken lightly. That is why the Congress of the United States has made airspace and aircraft the purview of the Federal Aviation Administration and its Administrator.

49 U.S.C §40103. Sovereignty and use of airspace

(a) Sovereignty and Public Right of Transit.—(1) The United States Government has exclusive sovereignty of airspace of the United States.

(2) A citizen of the United States has a public right of transit through the navigable airspace. To further that right, the Secretary of Transportation shall consult with the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board established under section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 792) before prescribing a regulation or issuing an order or procedure that will have a significant impact on the accessibility of commercial airports or commercial air transportation for handicapped individuals. (b) Use of Airspace.—(1) The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall develop plans and policy for the use of the navigable airspace and assign by regulation or order the use of the airspace necessary to ensure the safety of aircraft and the efficient use of airspace. The Administrator may modify or revoke an assignment when required in the public interest.

(2) The Administrator shall prescribe air traffic regulations on the flight of aircraft (including regulations on safe altitudes) for—

(A) navigating, protecting, and identifying aircraft;

(B) protecting individuals and property on the ground;

(C) using the navigable airspace efficiently; and

(D) preventing collision between aircraft, between aircraft and land or water vehicles, and between aircraft and airborne objects.

The FAA has been working on promulgating rules for unmanned aircraft and is close to issuing regulations for their safe integration. Again we ask you veto this bill, as we are concerned that all of the risks have been considered and that there may be unintended hazards that could arise as a result of SB 142 becoming law.

On behalf of the Remote Control Aerial Platform Association (RCAPA) membership Respectfully,

Patrick Egan

http://www.suasnews.com/2015/09/38271/rcapa-response-to-sb142/

FAA approves startup to operate a giant fleet of drones

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The Federal Aviation Administration recently approved a small drone startup called Measure to fly 324 drones for business purposes.

It may not be long before we see fleets of drones buzzing across the sky.

The Federal Aviation Administration has given a startup called Measure permission to fly 324 drones, the company announced on Tuesday.

But Measure won’t be using its drones to deliver toothbrushes, medical supplies, or diapers like other companies have been itching to do. Instead, Measure will use its drones to gather data.

As Fortune reported in July, the Washington, D.C.-based startup operates a drone consultancy and services business that works with clients to figure out how drones could help them. It focuses on the agriculture, oil and gas, insurance, and other industries in which aerial photography and other data is a valuable commodity.

Boeing BA 2.52% , IBM IBM 1.66% , UPS UPS 1.59% , and the American Red Cross are all users of Measure’s drones, according to CNN.

Companies looking to fly drones for business purposes must currently seek approval from the FAA and abide by a series of rules including flying no higher than 400 feet above the ground and always within the line of sight of human operators. These rules have made it difficult for companies like Amazon AMZN 2.82% to get drone-delivery businesses off the ground.

Measure, however, seems to have had an easier time getting the FAA approval because it wants to use its drones to collect data and not deliver goods. In a letter to the FAA, Measure said that it intends to comply with the flight altitude ceiling and make sure that its human operators keep a close watch.

In July, a drone operated by a small startup called Flirtey made the first legal drone delivery sanctioned by the FAA.