San Diego’s skies are abuzz with drones.
But they’re not all from large corporations, like San Diego-based General Atomics, which crafts military drones. Dozens of smaller local startups like 3D Robotics are lifting off with drones designed for hobbyists.
READ MORE: What We Learned About San Diego’s Drone Industry
Local commercial drone companies are pushing for their devices to be used for agriculture and video surveillance. But these industries have to be covert due to the FAA’s strict regulations.
That could all change soon. Thanks to push-back from the industry, the FAA is getting ready to release a fresh set of rules for unmanned aircraft by next year.
In this week’s San Diego Explained, NBC 7’s Catherine Garcia and Voice of San Diego’s Lisa Halverstadt uncover the mystery surrounding San Diego’s drone industry, and how local businesses could benefit from revised federal regulations.