Do you remember when, just before Christmas, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a proposal that would let them track every drone flying in US airspace? These new rules have now come into effect. Let’s take a look into what this means for filmmakers operating in the US. In 2016, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began granting waivers that allowed commercial entities to operate drones as part of its 107 rules. This helped take drones from being manufactured purely as toys or hobbies through to breaking into the mainstream across a broad range of commercial applications. The rule also helped boost the drone market: according to Business Insider, since 2016 the annual sales of drones increased from $8.5 billion to an expected $12 billion in 2021. DJI Mavic Pro 2 Airborne with Cityscape Background (Credits: DJI) Just before Christmas last year though, the FAA announced what proved to be a pretty unpopular update to its 107 rules for commercial drone pilots – its biggest set of changes yet. These new rules have come into effect as of yesterday. (To all filmmakers using drones in the EU, take a look at the new rules here!) The most controversial of the new rules is the “remote identification rule”. This stipulates that within 18 months, manufacturers will need to update all new mass-produced drones with a “digital license plate” so that the FAA and law enforcement can track all drones in US skies. Luckily, since December the FAA has decided to remove all...
Published By: CineD - Friday, 23 April, 2021