The National League of Cities is preparing for a future where cities will need to regulate the use of airspace by commercial drones.
"While fully self-driving cars may still be a decade or so away, remotely piloted and even automated drones are already here," according to an article Elias Stahl, and it's time for cities to prepare for the expanded use of drones.
According to Stahl, the Federal Aviation Administration released regulations for the use of drones in U.S. airspace in June in anticipation of the number of drones growing "from 2.5 million in 2016 to 7 million by 2020…" But those federal regulations "leave the bulk of enforcement and regulation to local and state government."
There are already examples of cities deploying drones for their own purposes, but as with many other forms of mobility, innovation so far is outpacing regulation. To advance the role of cities in maintaining control of their airspace, the National League of Cities released a new "Cities and Drones" [pdf] guide for municipalities. "The challenge for local officials will be crafting policy and regulations that enable this drone technology to serve their cities best, embracing innovation, while still considering the safety and privacy concerns of their residents," according to Stahl.
Read the full story: Drones Will Have an Impact on Your City. Here’s What You Need to Know.
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