USA Today - FAA OKs drones for moviemaking

USA Today had an article by Bart Jansen that said that the FAA is now permitting six movie companies to legally use drones.  Rules for drone use won't be released for another 18 months.

Eighteen more months is far too long, when the FAA has already been working on the problem for years.  Approving companies on a case-by-case basis will result in unfair competition, favoritism for friends, and use too much of the FAA's time. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx seems to be dragging his agencies feet.  He is quoted as saying: "These companies are blazing a trail that others are already following offering the promise of new advances"..This statement seems to imply that the agency is going to "learn" from the movie companies, and seems to admit that many other users are out there--but are operating illegally.   The FAA says they will learn by taking each application on a case-by-case basis and use that information for helping them craft new rules and regulations.   Meanwhile thousands of drone users will be using their drones "illegally" for years, and will have no reasonable guidelines for operation.  Farmers, Realtors & Wedding photographers meanwhile will be using drones for their job, but will be subject to arbitrary and capricious enforcement which will be unfair to everyone including enforcement agencies, operators, and nearby citizens.  
Interim standards need to be issued ASAP, and then the agency can amend them, as necessary, over the next few years.  Interim standards are pretty obvious:

•  400 ft altitude limit, 
• line of site to operator, 
• permission of property owners, 
• notification to residents, 
• establish a minimum distance from any airport etc.  

Minimum design standards for licensed drones need to be established so manufacturers will be able to produce equipment that is FAA and FCC approved over the next few years. These simple design requirements could be published now as a minimum standard.  Details could be fleshed out over the next few years.  Those minimum standards also seem pretty obvious and should include the following:

• All drones must have a beacon that squawks a unique ID, 
• Drones must broadcast their GPS location and altitude.  
• Drones must have encrypted/authenticated command & control system to protect from cross-talk, or high-jacking by nearby hackers.
• Drones must have unencrypted payload downlink to allow neighbors to see what is being collected.

In addition,  an FAA website needs to be developed ASAP for registering operators, equipment, and flight plans.  The FAA needs to start development now, so it can be "live" within 2 years.  As a minimum the web site should allow for:

• All drone operators can file and close out all flight plans which include a GPS-coordinate flight track.  Flight plan filing should be as simple as drawing a box on a Google Earth map. Flight plans must be filed at least 24 hours prior to a flight.  Close out of flight plan within 24 hours of flight completion.  
• Website should be public, and should allow citizens to register so they can be notified if a drone flight path is filed within an area defined by the user using GPS coordinates.    
• The FAA website should allow operators to register their drone including the unique ID number which the beacon squawks.  Registration should include the manufacturer, model number, serial number, RF channel to be used.
• Operators should be able to take an online training course which defines the rules under which the drone is to be operated.
• Following the completion of the short on-line course, the operator should be allowed to register for a license which would include an on-line exam that would result in a license good for a couple of years. Renewal time initially should be relatively short, since the rule-making process will change and operators would need to be updated on the changes.  Operators should be able to provide a photo of their driver's license as an identification as part of the registration/licensing process.