Amazon’s drones must clear regulatory obstacles

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ plan to deliver packages with self-guided drones may be technically feasible, but serious legal and regulatory hurdles stand in the way, The Associated Press reports.

It would take years for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop the rules and regulations necessary to allow commercial drone use in the United States, according to the AP.

“Last year, Congress directed the agency to grant drones access to U.S. skies by September 2015. But the agency already has missed several key deadlines and said the process would take longer than Congress expected,” the AP’s Scott Mayerowitz writes. “The FAA plans to propose rules next year that could allow limited use of drones weighing up to 55 pounds. But those rules are expected to include major restrictions on where drones can fly, posing significant limits on what Amazon could do. “

More from the AP here.