The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has allowed the first fully automated commercial flights of unmanned aerial vehicles, giving a small firm the "green light" to operate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) without direct control from dispatchers or human operators.
The FAA's decision mandates that UAS only operate over sparsely populated areas at an altitude of less than 400 feet. However, this is a landmark event for farmers, miners, and others interested in expanding the commercial use of unmanned aircraft systems in their work.
The agency said in permits posted on its website that expanding commercial use of automated drones could add " efficiency to many of the industries that fuel our economy, such as agriculture, mining, transportation, and the production of short-term goods."
The FAA has previously approved UAS to inspect infrastructure such as rail tracks and pipelines. American Robotics Inc. has received a new permit from the FAA.
The company's reconnaissance drones fly according to pre-defined flight programs, armed with technology that allows them to avoid collisions with birds and other aircraft. The drones weigh less than 20 pounds, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the FAA's decision.
The decision is backed by four years of testing in eight states. It opens up the prospect of wider testing of the use of automated drones for other industries.