Happyflyer said:
As for the FAA, there have been many discussions and comments they have no authority. A different part of the Government has the say.
I know I'm, like, 12 hours late to the party, here, but Happy's statement really caught my eye.
The FAA is
absolutely the entity that has the task of enforcing the laws concerning the US airspace. I think what you are eluding to with "has no authority" is, while the FAA can (and has) issue restrictions and guidelines, there are few
laws on the books that the FAA can use to back up those restrictions (as they pertain to drones). It's very much like a dog who barks a lot but has no teeth.
The US Congress is the entity that writes and passes the federal laws. And once it passes laws concerning drones (and I have every expectation that they will... eventually... but like everything else in Washington, it may take many many years), the FAA will have the authority to enforce them (or oversee their enforcement by local authorities).
However, I would be surprised if we don't see at least one state in the union try to pass it's own laws in the next couple of years. And the Federal government is known to give some leeway to local legislators... just look at all the states that have (or are considering) legalizing marijuana. Clearly this flies in the face of Federal law, under the jurisdiction and authority of the Federal DEA and ATF, and yet the states are being given some leeway to legislate on their own. Clearly the same thing can happen with drones and airspace restrictions (though, admittedly, it would be tricky because obviously that leeway can not extend so far as to affect the national commercial airways... but the states may be given leeway under 400', say).
Whether this is an issue where leeway will be given is anybody's guess. But to say that it could NEVER happen is being a bit shortsighted.