Obama administration outlines rules for drones

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- The Federal Aviation Administration proposed new rules for flying drones for some commercial operators Sunday.

The new proposal would allow for daylight commercial operation of drones under 55 pounds. The UAVs would have to stay within sight of operators at all times and below 500 feet of altitude.

Operators would need to be at least 17 years old, to pass an aeronautics test and to be vetted by the Transportation Security Administration.

It could likely take up to three years before the rules are made final, but federal officials said Sunday that once they are in place the economic and safety benefits of unmanned aircraft are expected to be enormous.

President Obama also issued a memorandum to federal agencies Sunday specifying measures to guard against abuse of data collected in drone flights, requiring agencies to review privacy and civil rights protections before deploying drone technology and to follow a range of rules.