North Dakota Will Get The Very First FAA-Approved Drone Testing Facility Next Week
Drone laws are rather restrictive - there are still miles and miles to go before we live in the Amazon-sponsored world of instant product delivery to our doorsteps, but this represents a step in that direction. Here's IEEE's breakdown on what's currently allowed:
Technically, you're not supposed to fly drones out of visual range, more than 400 feet in the air, or closer than five miles to any sort of controlled airspace (including the Class B airspace that's in place over most urban areas), without getting an an experimental airworthiness certificate (which specifically precludes carrying cargo) and applying for a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA).
North Dakota is a prime location for such a drone testing facility according to the FAA because it offers "a test range in the Temperate (continental) climate zone and included a variety of different airspace which will benefit multiple users."
The first drone that will take off from the test site will be a Draganflyer X4-ES outfitted with a device called a Tetracam, which will be able to examine soil quality from the sky and may end up being an indispensable tool for farmers and other agricultural workers.