The number of drone enthusiasts has kept growing, with more people placing the flying robot on their wish list for the holiday season.
As drones have also become more affordable and several industries have seen their increasing significance in the business, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been flooded with numerous requests on flying the machines both for leisure and business purposes. Currently, it has a total of 167 pending applications to attend to.
In September, the FAA granted permission to at least six filmmakers in Hollywood to fly drones on film locations. Since then, it had paved the way for commercial drone flying in the U.S.
"These companies are blazing a trail," said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "We are thoroughly satisfied these operations will not pose a hazard to other aircraft or to people and property on the ground."
According to the FAA, safety has always been their main priority. As such, the FAA decided to launch a new safety campaign that is aimed at informing newbie pilots on how to fly safely and responsibly. With an informative website and a video titled "Know Before You Fly," the FAA seemed, for the first time, to be making a concerted effort to educate the public.
"Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones as they are often called, are increasingly available online and on store shelves," said the FAA. "Just because you can easily acquire a UAS doesn't mean you can fly it anywhere, or for any purpose. 'Know Before You Fly' is an educational campaign that provides prospective users with the information and guidance they need to fly safely and responsibly."
The FAA is said to be faced with an increased pressure to grant the approval of nonmilitary drone expansion. It was given until September 2015 by the Congress to finalize its new rules for the remote-controlled aircraft.
Some online companies, such as Amazon, said that they could use the drones to speed up delivery times.
Police and other law enforcement groups also showed interest in using the drone technology.
However, the reception is quite different from privacy advocates who have displayed certain concerns about using the drones for surveillance. In recent years, some drones have also been involved in fatal crashes where four deaths had been recorded.
"Often people who purchase drones for recreational use in stores or online are unaware of the existing safety guidelines," said executive director Michael Drobac of Small UAV Coalition. "Our hope is that this campaign will make that information more accessible to the legions of flyers taking to the skies, ensuring safety for all aircraft, both manned and unmanned."
