North Carolina-based drone firm, PrecisionHawk has become the first company to gain exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) line of sight rule. Previously, drones had to operate within one nautical mile (1.15 miles) of operators, severely limiting their application. PrecisionHawk's tests have convinced the FAA that the restriction should be expanded to three nautical miles (almost 3.5 miles), beyond the line of sight. The move has been welcomed by drone industry insiders, who say it will allow the sector to "move forward. But some privacy advocates are concerned about how this change could affect privacy.
North Carolina-based drone firm, PrecisionHawk has become the first company to gain exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) line of sight rule. Previously, drones had to operate within one nautical mile (1.15 miles) of operators, severely limiting their application. PrecisionHawk's tests have convinced the FAA that the restriction should be expanded to three nautical miles (almost 3.5 miles), beyond the line of sight. The move has been welcomed by drone industry insiders, who say it will allow the sector to "move forward." More testing will be done to ensure what obstacle avoidance systems drones will require in future.