Federal Aviation Administration

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Industry leaders fear that drone regulations proposed by the Federal Aviation Administration may be too restrictive and might limit commercial usage. "It really is so far behind where other countries are. ... It's not progressive enough," said Michael Drobac, executive director of the Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Coalition. (Associated Press)

Drone industry fears FAA rules too restrictive

By Ben Wolfgang - The Washington Times

FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2015 file photo, the Aerialtronics Altura Zenith drone is seen at an event at the National Press Club in Washington. An economic analysis by the Federal Aviation Administration indicates the agency, citing economic and safety benefits, is seeking regulations largely favorable to companies that want to use small drones. The analysis, which was posted online, describes draft rules that would clear the way for widespread use of small drones for all manner of chores, including aerial photography, crop monitoring, and inspections of cellular towers, bridges and other tall structures. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Obama calls for rules on federal drones to prevent spying on citizens

By Ben Wolfgang and Dave Boyer - The Washington Times

FILE - In this Oct. 16, 2014 file photo, former Navy helicopter pilot and San Diego Gas &amp; Electric unmanned aircraft operator Teena Deering holds a drone as it is prepared for takeoff near Boulevard, Calif. Long-awaited rules to usher in a new era in which small, commercial drones zipping through U.S. skies are a part of everyday life were proposed by the Federal Aviation Administration on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2015. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

Drone on: FAA sets rules for unmanned aircraft

By Ben Wolfgang - The Washington Times

In the wake of the crash of a small commercial drone craft on the White House lawn, President Obama is calling for greater regulation of private drones and restricting their operations. Critics argue private industry can keep a similar incident from recurring. (Associated Press)

Drone makers say they can regulate skies better than government

By Ben Wolfgang - The Washington Times

In this Oct. 8, 2014 photo, undergraduate researcher Christopher Rios uses Google Glass to control a drone in mechanical engineering professor Ahmed Mahdy's classroom at Texas A&amp;M Corpus Christi, in Corpus Christi, Texas. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

Dawn of the drones: ‘It’s just the way of the future’

By Scott Mayerowitz - Associated Press

Small, increasingly cheap drones have become wildly popular for recreation, and it's unclear how the FAA will regulate operators who want to use the vehicles for that purpose alone. (Associated Press)

FAA failure to regulate U.S. drone boom creates climate of confusion

By Ben Wolfgang - The Washington Times

Girl, 7, survives Ky. plane crash; police ID 4 dead

Associated Press

A Parrot Bebop drone (foreground) and the Skycontroller are among the many remotely controlled flying devices that have emerged as popular gifts this year. (Associated Press)

FAA fears drones left under Christmas tree could prove hazardous in the skies

By Ben Wolfgang - The Washington Times

In this March 12, 2014, file photo, a drone flown by Brian Wilson, prepares to land after flying over the scene of an explosion that leveled two apartment buildings in the East Harlem neighborhood of New York. Americans are deeply skeptical that the benefits of the heralded drone revolution will outweigh the risks to privacy and safety, although a majority approve of using small, unmanned aircraft in dangerous jobs or remote areas, according to a new Associated Press-GfK opinion poll. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

Americans skeptical of commercial drones: poll

By Joan Lowy and Jennifer Agiesta - Associated Press

A drone flies over the scene of an explosion that leveled two apartment buildings in the East Harlem neighborhood of New York, March 12, 2014. (Associated Press) ** FILE **

FAA grants commercial drone permits to four companies

By Douglas Ernst - The Washington Times

In this photo June 7, 2014, photo released by BP Alaska, Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) technology using an AeroVironment Puma drone is given a pre-flight checkout in preparation for flights by BP at its Prudhoe Bay, Alaska operations. The Federal Aviation Administration granted the first permission for commercial drone flights over land, the latest effort by the agency to show it is loosening restrictions on commercial uses of the unmanned aircraft. The federal effort to provide drones regular access to U.S. skies faces significant hurdles and won't meet a September 2015 deadline set by Congress, said a report released June 30 by a government watchdog. A report by the Transportation Department's inspector general says the Federal Aviation Administration hasn't figured out what kind of technology unmanned aircraft should use to avoid crashing into other planes. (AP Photo/BP Alaska)

Obama administration grants five more drone permits, continues case-by-case approach

By Ben Wolfgang - The Washington Times

This frame grab from video, provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shows a test at the FAAs technical center in Atlantic City, N.J. last April, where a cargo container was packed with 5,000 rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. A cartridge heater was inserted to simulate a single battery experiencing uncontrolled overheating. Forty-four minutes into the test a build-up of flammable gases inside the container caused an explosion that blew open the container’s door and sent boxes flying. The container was soon fully engulfed in flames. New U.S. government tests are raising concern that rechargeable lithium batteries carried as cargo on passenger airliners around the world are susceptible to fires or explosions that could destroy the planes. Yet U.S. and international officials have been slow to adopt safety restrictions that might affect both powerful industries that depend on the batteries and the airlines that profit from shipping them. The batteries are for products ranging from cellphones and laptops to hybrid cars. (AP Photo/FAA)

Fiery risk? Air shipments of batteries questioned

By Joan Lowy - Associated Press

When the FAA finishes its new drone regulations, we hope they won't apply to pint-sized models from the toy store. (AP Photo/The Berkshire Eagle, Ben Garver, File)

EDITORIAL: FAA regulating drones

By THE WASHINGTON TIMES

FILE - In this Jan. 7, 2013 file photo, a Japan Airlines Boeing 787 jet aircraft is surrounded by emergency vehicles while parked at a terminal E gate at Logan International Airport in Boston as a fire chief looks into the cargo hold. A report by federal accident investigators points to a manufacturing defect as the likely cause of an internal short circuit that led to a battery fire in a Boeing 787 airliner parked at Boston's airport last year. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report released Monday says an inspection of the manufacturing plant in Japan where the battery was made found that flaws and debris in lithium-ion aircraft batteries were going undetected. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File)

NTSB points to battery defect in Boeing 787 fire

By Joan Lowy - Associated Press

A demonstrator holds a protest sign in Oakland, Calif., on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, after the announcement of the grand jury decision not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

FAA declares no-fly over St. Louis due to gunshots

By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times

GOLDEN HAMMER: At FAA, bigger budgets for less work lead to waste

By Drew Johnson - The Washington Times

In this May 15, 2014 photo, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 takes off from Tampa International Airport in Tampa, Fla. Southwest Airlines reports quarterly financial results on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

US sues Southwest Airlines over maintenance issues

By David Koenig - Associated Press

AP News in Brief at 9:58 p.m. EST

Associated Press

In this Monday, Aug. 18, 2014, photo, people stand near a cloud of tear gas in Ferguson, Mo., during protests for the Aug. 9 shooting of unarmed black 18-year-old Michael Brown by a white police officer. (Associated Press)

AP Exclusive: Ferguson no-fly zone aimed at media

By Jack Gillum and Joan Lowy - Associated Press

Dennis McCormack of Rockaway, N.J. checks the departure board only to find out that his flight to Newark, N.J. has been canceled at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Friday, Sept. 26, 2014. All flights in and out of Chicago's two airports were halted Friday after a fire at a suburban air traffic control facility sent delays and cancellations rippling through the U.S. air travel network. Authorities said the blaze was intentionally set by a contract employee of the Federal Aviation Administration and had no ties to terrorism. (AP Photo/Paul Beaty)

OIG to audit FAA’s security protocols at Chicago air traffic control facilities

By Douglas Ernst - The Washington Times