The Federal Aviation Administration gave permission to BP for the first commercial drone -- more accurate described as unmanned aircraft systems - to fly over US land to conduct aerial surveys over Alaska's North Slope. The FAA continues its measured, cautious approach in approving the use of commercial UAS while it formulates comprehensive regulations for unmanned aircraft systems due September 2015.

(Photo: AeroVironment Puma AE UAS, Courtesy AeroVironment, Inc.)

Last summer, the FAA issued restricted category type certificates to the Puma and Insitu’s Scan Eagle, another small UAS. The certificates were limited to aerial surveillance only over Arctic waters. The FAA issued a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization to survey BP pipelines, roads and equipment at Prudhoe Bay, AK, the largest oilfield in the United States. According to the FAA in its press release, "BP hopes to target maintenance activities on specific roads and infrastructure, which will save time and support safety and operational reliability goals, while helping to protect the sensitive North Slope environment."

The FAA has made clear that commercial operations are only authorized on a case-by-case basis. A commercial flight requires a certified aircraft, a licensed pilot and operating approval. The FAA essentially grounded two drone journalism projects at the University of Missouri and the University of Nebraska, rejecting the universities' argument that they were flying their experimental drones under the guidelines the FAA set down for remote control aircraft. "You may not fly a UAS for commercial purposes by claiming that you’re operating according to the Model Aircraft guidelines (below 400 feet, 3 miles from an airport, away from populated areas.)," the FAA advised the public.

Although an administrative law judge at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) ruled that the FAA does not have authority to regulate commercial drones, see Huerta v. Pirker, No. CP-217 (NTSB Mar. 6, 2014), the FAA is appealing the decision and holding fast that commercial drones require a certificate of authorization.