01-31-2014, 04:36 PM
http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows...rones.html
Excerpt: "Lakemaid Beer, which calls itself the "fisherman's lager," sought to use drones to deliver cold ones to ice fishers in Minnesota, until the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stepped in. The Wisconsin brewery had a tentative plan to begin beer delivery via drone to the thousands of ice fishing shacks dotting Minnesota's lakes. Lakemaid's YouTube video (below) advertising the program, however, caught the FAA's attention and the company was informed that it would be violating several regulations.
Lakemaid managing partner Jack Supple spoke to NPR about the FAA's decision, saying "We were a little surprised at the FAA interest in this since we thought we were operating under the 400-foot limit... [we] figured a vast frozen lake was a lot safer place than [what] Amazon was showing on 60 Minutes."
For the time being, The FAA does not allow drones to be used for commercial purposes. It hopes to begin integrating unmanned aerial systems (UAS) into U.S. airspace by 2015. To accomplish this goal, the FAA recently established six test sites nationwide where companies can test drones for a variety of applications. The test sites are intended to help companies develop the necessary technologies to make commercial drones safer, and to help the FAA develop rules for UAS to operate regularly in American airspace.
While hobbyists and law enforcement have some leeway to experiment with drones before full integration, the FAA has been strict in cracking down on attempts to use the technology commercially. In October, the FAA filed a complaint against a hobbyist who sold images he took with a small drone, alleging that he violated restrictions on commercial use.
In Lakemaid Beer's case, the FAA sought to inform, rather than punish. In an email to the company, the FAA said the agency "recognizes that people and companies... might be flying UAS with the mistaken understanding" of what uses are legal..."
Excerpt: "Lakemaid Beer, which calls itself the "fisherman's lager," sought to use drones to deliver cold ones to ice fishers in Minnesota, until the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stepped in. The Wisconsin brewery had a tentative plan to begin beer delivery via drone to the thousands of ice fishing shacks dotting Minnesota's lakes. Lakemaid's YouTube video (below) advertising the program, however, caught the FAA's attention and the company was informed that it would be violating several regulations.
Lakemaid managing partner Jack Supple spoke to NPR about the FAA's decision, saying "We were a little surprised at the FAA interest in this since we thought we were operating under the 400-foot limit... [we] figured a vast frozen lake was a lot safer place than [what] Amazon was showing on 60 Minutes."
For the time being, The FAA does not allow drones to be used for commercial purposes. It hopes to begin integrating unmanned aerial systems (UAS) into U.S. airspace by 2015. To accomplish this goal, the FAA recently established six test sites nationwide where companies can test drones for a variety of applications. The test sites are intended to help companies develop the necessary technologies to make commercial drones safer, and to help the FAA develop rules for UAS to operate regularly in American airspace.
While hobbyists and law enforcement have some leeway to experiment with drones before full integration, the FAA has been strict in cracking down on attempts to use the technology commercially. In October, the FAA filed a complaint against a hobbyist who sold images he took with a small drone, alleging that he violated restrictions on commercial use.
In Lakemaid Beer's case, the FAA sought to inform, rather than punish. In an email to the company, the FAA said the agency "recognizes that people and companies... might be flying UAS with the mistaken understanding" of what uses are legal..."