Dive Brief:

• The Federal Aviation Administration on Sunday unveiled its proposed rules for the use of drones by businesses, saying construction contractors, real estate agents and others could be allowed to fly the unmanned, airborne devices within two years.

• The proposed regulations—in the works for more than four years—would undo the FAA’s current position that the commercial use of drones is illegal, and would pave the way for construction companies to use them for everything from inspecting bridges and pipelines, to surveying land, to keeping a watch on job sites, to photographing homes for sale.

• The new rules, however, would restrict the use of commercial drones to daylight hours, to areas within the sight of the operator, to speeds of 100 mph, and to heights of 500 feet.

Dive Insight:

As previously reported, some contractors and Realtors already fly the remote-controlled drones and could face legal action or fines if the FAA catches them before the new rules take effect. A handful of businesses have requested and received exceptions from the FAA to use the drones.