Drone regulations stalled as interest grows in commerical and media uses

Entrepreneurs are complaining that the failure of the Federal Aviation Agency to enact drone regulations is hurting innovation and enterprise. A handful of drone operators got an exemption to the ban on commercial use of drones but were required to get a private pilot licenses, that the drone operators say does not prepare anyone to control drones. (The Washington Post, December 9, 2014, by Matt McFarland)

A group of Senators pressured the FAA to speed the enactment of rules for drones and to ensure that the rules allow less affluent operators to compete. The FAA was supposed to announce draft rules in August but missed the deadline. (The Washington Post, November 25, 2014, by Brian Fung)

A media company, Alpha Media,  announced that they wanted to conduct test flights of news-gathering drones in Oregon as soon as the FAA announces its new regulations. CNN has also said last summer that it would join with a university to study safe and effective drone operation. (Reuters, December 3, 2014, by Courtney Sherwood)