At a hearing of the House Oversight Committee, FAA Deputy Administrator Michael Whitaker offered the most specific date yet on the anticipated date of completion of the rules governing the commercial use of drones. Whitaker said that the agency was pushing for the rule to be finalized by mid-2016. The proposed rule was issued in February 2015 and the public comment period closed in April 2015. Many industry watchers were guessing that it would be at least 2017 by the time the rule was finalized.
Until the rule is finalized, the commercial use of UAVs is prohibited without a Section 333 waiver from the FAA.