Economy

US lags as commercial drones take off around globe

By Associated Press
Published March 17, 2014 4:00am ET
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US lags as commercial drones take off around globe
FILE - This March 12, 2014 file photo shows a drone landing after flying over the scene of an explosion that leveled two apartment buildings in East Harlem in New York. Brian Wilson, the owner, says he uses the aerial drone to document buildings, weddings and news events. The Federal Aviation Administration bars commercial use of drones no matter how seemingly benign. Officials say rules to address the special safety challenges associated with unmanned aircraft need to be in place before they can share the sky with manned aircraft and final regulations could be years away. But tempting technology and an eager marketplace are outrunning the aviation agency's best intentions. Photographers, real estate agents, moviemakers, and others are hurrying to embrace the technology. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) | Mark Lennihan

A small, four-rotor drone hovered over Washington Nationals players for a few days during spring training in Florida last month, taking publicity photos impossible for a human photographer to capture. But no one got the Federal Aviation Administration’s permission first.

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Associated Press Drones Federal Aviation Administration