A total of 2,821 commercial drone companies have applied to be “interested parties” in the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) UAS Integration Pilot Program, according to an announcement by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA announcement).
According to the DOT “The vast majority of the list is made up of commercial drone operators: but energy firms, police and law enforcement, software providers, drone manufacturers, insurance providers and a vast variety of other players in the drone industry are represented. Among drone operators, the specialties range from straight photography to mapping, surveying, surveillance and every other possibility for aerial data.
According to the FAA “This new pilot program encourages State, local, and tribal governments, in partnership with UAS operators and other private sector stakeholders, to conduct advanced operations safely and with public support in affected communities. The Department Of Transportation (DOT), through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is announcing in a Federal Register Notice establishment of the UAS Integration Pilot Program, and identifies this site (https://faaco.faa.gov) to obtain the specific instructions for requesting access to a designated portal for submitting an application (in form of a proposal) to be considered for participation in the program.”
