The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a rule that would permit the commercial use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones. Many real estate agents have expressed an interest in using this technology to take pictures and videos of their listings to show to clients. There are several applications for drone use in building management, property inspection, land surveying, building energy modeling and other aspects of real estate.

The proposed rule is the first step toward a regulatory environment where commercial drone use is legal and has prescribed guidelines from the FAA. Please click herepdf for an overview of the rule.

“Technology is advancing at an unprecedented pace and this milestone allows federal regulations and the use of our national airspace to evolve to safely accommodate innovation,” said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. The FAA has recently been under scrutiny from lawmakers and industry as it had missed the original deadline for proposing a rule.

The comment period closes on April 24, 2015.

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