That threshold is far lower than a pilot’s license – a move likely to encourage greater commercial use of drones, industry experts predict. Flying a drone for commercial purposes will no longer require a pilot’s license, the Federal Aviation Administration announced in new rules released Tuesday. Previous rules required commercial drone operators to have a pilot’s license and apply for an FAA waiver – a tedious process believed to have steered many businesses to use drones without proper permission. Because the regulations require drones remain within a pilot’s line of sight, there’s little likelihood Amazon will use them for shipments any time soon. “It all depends on what the regulations are going to be in the future.”While many drone advocates voiced support for the new rules, some criticized the way they establish a divide between hobbyists and commercial drone pilots.

Source: Los Angeles Times June 21, 2016 15:18 UTC