FAA Provides Clearer Skies For Educational Use Of Drones

As we covered on our blog earlier this year, the proliferation of drones (or unmanned aircraft systems, "UAS,") has reached college campuses around the country, where university staff, faculty, and students are eager to use drones for research and development, marketing, academic courses, and athletic programs.

In a nod to increased interest in the academic use of drones, the FAA, on May 4, released an interpretation on the "Educational Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems," which clarifies the use of UAS for hobby or recreational purposes at educational institutions and community-sponsored events.

The FAA stated in its interpretation that UAS may be operated by hobbyists in connection with educational and community-sponsored events so long as operators abide by section 336 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 ("Section 336") (the hobbyist/recreation section of the Act) and are not compensated for the operation. It also stated student UAS use (and limited