Michael Whitaker told a House aviation subcommittee, when pressed for specifics, that June of next year would be a realistic time frame for the FAA to complete its review of the proposed rules and the 4,500 public comments submitted since February. "We should be able to beat that," he said. The agency's rulemaking deadline for drones under 55 pounds flying in the nation's airspace was Sept. 30.

Also during the subcommittee hearing, Whitaker said the FAA is working with industry to examine safety concerns and wants to continue testing technology such as geo-fencing and tracking, particularly when drones fly near airports.

Read Full Article