US government proposes easing some restrictions on drones traveling long distances
The federal government had already approved 657 waivers to allow companies such as Amazon and major utilities to do this in certain circumstances, but the waiver process made it difficult.
The industry has long pressed for the rule because being able to operate drones out of sight opens up a multitude of possibilities for their use. Being able to do this enables more use of drones for deliveries, inspecting infrastructure like bridges and power lines and other uses in agriculture over thousands of acres on large farms.
'This draft rule is a critical step toward enabling drone operations that will enhance safety, transform commercial services, and strengthen public safety with drones as a force multiplier,' said Michael Robbins, president & CEO of the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International trade group.
The rule spells out the circumstances drones can be used under while working to ensure they don't disrupt aviation and cause problems around airports, Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Bryan Bedford said.
'We are making the future of our aviation a reality and unleashing American drone dominance. From drones delivering medicine to unmanned aircraft surveying crops, this technology will fundamentally change the way we interact with the world,' Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.
President Donald Trump issued executive orders in June directing the Transportation Department to quickly get this rule out. The orders also included restrictions meant to help protect against terrorism, espionage and public safety threats.
Monday Mornings
The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week.
Drones are already used in a variety of ways, including bolstering search and rescue operations, applying fertilizer, inspecting power lines and railroad bridges, and even delivering packages.
But the war in Ukraine has highlighted how drones could be used in a military or terrorist attack — a concern as the World Cup and Olympics approach in the U.S. There also have been espionage cases where drones have been used to surveil sensitive sites. And White House officials said drones are being used to smuggle drugs over the border, and there are concerns about the potential for a disastrous collision between a drone and an airliner around an airport.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Calgary Herald
22 minutes ago
- Calgary Herald
Carney pledges $1.2 billion for lumber sector hit by Trump
Article content Prime Minister Mark Carney promised as much as $1.2 billion to shore up Canada's lumber industry, which has been hit hard by United States duties that are about to significantly increase. Article content Carney said Tuesday that up to $700 million in loan guarantees will help forestry companies of all sizes maintain and restructure their operations. He also pledged $500 million in grants and contributions for product development and market diversification. Article content Article content Article content 'Canada does not dump lumber into the United States, and we will continue to make the case that these current and proposed duties are unjustified,' Carney said in West Kelowna, British Columbia. Article content Article content 'We are a vital supplier to our southern neighbor, representing around a quarter of the U.S. market and helping to keep down the costs of American homes.' Article content The dispute between the U.S. and Canada over softwood lumber stretches back decades, with the U.S. periodically imposing duties to counteract what it claims are unfair Canadian government subsidies. Article content The U.S. Commerce Department is expected on Friday to conclude hiking duties on Canadian softwood to about 35 per cent from a previous total of 14.4 per cent. That's a combination of anti-dumping and countervailing duties. Article content U.S. President Donald Trump has escalated the fight even further, ordering an increase to U.S. lumber production and an investigation of the national security risk of lumber imports. The probe is under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which Trump has already used to place new tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper. Article content Article content Canada shipped $40.3 billion of forest products and building and packaging materials to the U.S. last year, its fifth-largest category of exports to its largest trading partner. Article content Article content Carney said his government would launch its promised homebuilding agency, called Build Canada Homes, in the fall, which will prioritize Canadian lumber, steel and aluminum in construction. It will also require companies contracting with the federal government to source domestic lumber. Article content As well, the government will draft new initiatives to diversify international markets for Canadian lumber, along with retraining programs for workers, he said. Article content Canada has long denied the U.S. claim that it sets artificially low 'stumpage rates,' fees sawmills pay to provinces to harvest timber from government-owned forests. The World Trade Organization in 2020 largely backed Canada's argument that U.S. levies were unfair.
Toronto Sun
33 minutes ago
- Toronto Sun
Trump creates task force to prepare for 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles
Published Aug 05, 2025 • 2 minute read President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters after signing an executive order about the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Washington. Photo by Julia Demaree Nikhinson / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Tuesday established a task force on the 2028 Olympic Games being held in Los Angeles that he said would ensure the event is 'safe, seamless and historically successful.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The 2028 Games will be the first Olympics to be hosted by the U.S. since the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. Setting up the task force reflects the intense planning that comes with hosting the Olympics, as well as Trump's desire to be involved in an event he considers one of the highlights of his term. 'The L.A. Olympics is shaping up to be a wonderful moment for America. It's going to be incredible. It's so exciting,' Trump said as he signed an executive order at the White House establishing the task force. The executive order calls for the task force to coordinate security and planning for the Games, streamline visa processing and credentialing for the athletes, coaches, media and other visitors coming to the U.S. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Trump said that 'we'll do anything necessary to keep the Olympics safe,' adding that could potentially include deploying 'our National Guard or military.' Earlier this year, Trump sent National Guard troops to Los Angeles to respond to immigration protests. Trump will serve as chair of the task force, with Vice President JD Vance as vice chair. Other members include a number of Cabinet secretaries and administration officials, like Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, who appeared alongside Trump on Tuesday. Also present were Olympic champion gymnast Nastia Liukin and Brad Snyder, a swimmer who competed at the 2012 Paralympic Games. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Trump praised Gene Sykes, chair of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee board of directors, for the USOPC's move to effectively bar transgender women from competing in women's sports. 'The United States will not let men steal trophies from women at the 2028 Olympics,' Trump said. He questioned why he didn't hear applause from the room when he praised Sykes for it, and then received some claps from some people in the room. Trump 'considers it a great honor to oversee this global sporting spectacle,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, calling sports one of the president's 'greatest passions.' During the signing event, LA28 president and chair Casey Wasserman presented Trump with a set of gold, silver and bronze medals from the 1984 Olympic Games, which were held in Los Angeles. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Can I say I won them athletically?' Trump asked, as he displayed the medals to an audience of reporters. Wasserman said the task force 'marks an important step forward in our planning efforts and reflects our shared commitment to delivering not just the biggest, but the greatest Games the world has ever seen in the summer of 2028.' Along with the 2028 Summer Games, Trump has said that the 2026 FIFA World Cup being hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico is among the events he's most looking forward to in his second term. In preparation for next year's competition, the governments of all three countries on Tuesday said they had held the first meeting of a trilateral coordinating council of government officials, industry leaders and security professionals discussing a variety of issues including preparedness for any security threats ahead of the World Cup. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Columnists World Canada Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto & GTA
Toronto Star
3 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Trump creates task force to prepare for 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday established a task force on the 2028 Olympic Games being held in Los Angeles that he said would ensure the event is 'safe, seamless and historically successful.' The 2028 Games will be the first Olympics to be hosted by the U.S. since the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah.
