The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) unveiled proposed regulations on corporate usage of drone technology on Sunday, foretelling the possibility of automated flight becoming more common.
"We're putting forward what we believe to be the safest possible approach at the moment, but of course we look forward to hearing back from the public," Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx told reporters Sunday on a conference call, according to the Washington Post.
In an attempt to demonstrate transparency and public oversight, the White House also released a presidential directive requiring federal agencies to publicly disclose where drones are flown around the United States and the final destination of data collected from aerial surveillance.
The FAA's proposed regulations would allow several sectors of the economy and government to operate independently-registered drones for business and security purposes. It would also establish a system for operators to pass a written proficiency exam, pay for registration and obtain a license for the operation of drones.
Although real estate agencies, farming companies and online-retail services like Amazon are expected to be at the forefront of private-sector groups working with the FAA and the White House to develop protocol for drone usage, smaller companies in different industries will not be excluded.
"What we want to do is ensure that anyone who is flying in a careless or reckless manner that would be endangering the public or other users of the airspace, that we take appropriate enforcement action," FAA administrator Michael Huerta said, the Washington Post also reports.
Drones have primarily remained within government control since their popularization, but an increasing number of private sector companies are looking to independently operate their own drone equipment.
