Plans released for integrating drones into US airspace

[WASHINGTON] The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last week released an initial plan for integrating unmanned aircraft more broadly into US airspace by September 2015, along with a privacy policy for six drone test sites that will be chosen by the end of the year.

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said that new rules, standards and policies were needed to ensure that US aviation regulations and safety rules remained the world's "gold standard", as a growing number of new unmanned planes joined manned aircraft in the skies above America.

"We recognise that the expanding use of unmanned aircraft presents great opportunities, but it's also true that integrating these aircraft presents significant challenges," Mr Huerta told a news conference.