Reading the proposed rules, I see the limits are actually 25 kg and 2 kg for Unmanned air vehicles, aka drones. Figures have been rounded by the media to 55 lbs and 4,4 lbs.
Mike > FAA Unveils Long Awaited Small Drone Draft Regulation > The FAA unveiled its highly anticipated proposed regulation for the > commercial use of small drones weighing less than 55 pounds yesterday, > coinciding with the release of a Presidential memorandum setting privacy > guidelines for federal agencies that use unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). > Under the FAA’s proposed rule, which it called a “framework of regulations,” > operators would be required to fly drones within their unaided line of sight, > to a maximum altitude of 500 feet above ground level and during daylight > hours. Flights in airspace sectors other than Class G uncontrolled airspace > would require local ATC permission to maintain a buffer between manned and > unmanned aircraft. The rule contains a “micro UAS option” that would permit > more flexible operation in Class G airspace for drones weighing 4.4 pounds or > less. Significantly, the regulation would not require small drone operators > to have a pilot certificate. Rather, they would need a “newly created FAA > unmanned aircraft operator’s permit.” Also, the FAA would not require small > drones to be certified for airworthiness; instead, they must be maintained in > a safe condition for flight. The FAA’s conditions must survive a rulemaking > process that could take 18 months or longer. The agency will accept public > comments for 60 days from the date the NPRM appears in the Federal Register. > “Today’s action does not authorize widespread commercial use of unmanned > aircraft,” Huerta advised. “That can only happen when the rule is final.”
