( CNN ) -- Not there yet , but the future of drone flight in the United States took another important step on Monday . The Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) selected six research sites to help it test and map out the best way to safely bring unmanned aircraft into the heavily used U.S. airspace . FAA Administrator Michael Heurta said the facilities , strategically located , will work with the agency to develop standardized procedures and regulations -- elements that govern all areas of aviation . `` With these sites , what we have is the platform to conduct broad based research considering a wide variety of different factors , and we 'll see where the research takes us as we introduce these into the national airspace system , '' Huerta told reporters . The six sites are : the University of Alaska , the state of Nevada , Griffiss International Airport in Rome , New York , the North Dakota Department of Commerce , Texas A & M University -- Corpus Christi , and Virginia Tech . Virginia Tech 's research will also include a collaboration with Rutgers University in New Jersey . The FAA said it considered a number of factors in selecting the sites , including differences in climate and geography , available infrastructure , aviation experience , aviation traffic volume , and specific research proposals . It is currently working with the selected applicants to determine the airspace for conducting research , including test flights . Research will cover safety and logistical concerns , including that drones can detect and avoid other aircraft , and that they operate safely if they lose their link to their pilot , who is at the controls in another location . The research will also concentrate on environmental impact of drone use , and developing pilot training and standardized regulatory requirements . Current law requires a case-by-case certificate of authorization in order to fly an unmanned aircraft in U.S. airspace . The facilities are part of a comprehensive roadmap that the FAA has developed at the behest of Congress to develop a plan to safely integrate privately operated unmanned aircraft by 2015 . Huerta said the FAA will work to get all six facilities up and running as soon as possible , but Congress requires at least one facility be operational within six months . The sites will operate until February 2017 . Unmanned aircraft systems are currently used for a variety of reasons , including border surveillance , scientific and environmental research , and to support law enforcement . Overseas , drones have become a key counterterror tool . But rapidly changing technology has opened the door to privately operated drone use for recreational and commercial purposes domestically . Not without a warrant : Illinois bans the use of drones for law enforcement . Amazon recently announced 30-minute package delivery system using drone-like `` octocopters . '' The FAA has not yet signed off on Amazon 's plans , which CEO Jeff Bezos says he hopes to have in place by 2015 . There also have been concerns raised in Congress and elsewhere over privacy issues involving expanded domestic drone use . Huerta said he envisions a staged process as drone technology and usage evolves , and as `` we learn a lot more about what these aircraft are , how they interact with other aircraft , and what are the things that we have to consider as we integrate them into differing airspace and climatic considerations . '' `` The important thing about today 's announcement is it provides the platform for this research to really be carried out a very large scale across the entire country , '' Huerta said .
The Federal Aviation Administration announces sites for testing . Drones are used overseas in counterterror operations . But they are also becoming more popular in domestic security , law enforcement . FAA looks to develop standards for their use in domestic airspace .