Drone News, page-191

Although wordy, the link below provides some context to the DHS (US Dept of Homeland Security) agreement from Feb this year.

Summary: In 2018, US Congress directed the FAA to implement a regulatory framework to restrict unauthorised UAS from operating in the vicinity of critical infrastructure (this framework is known as Section 2209 and forms part of the FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act of 2016). Congress gave FAA until March 2020 (overdue!) to implement Section 2209 and as they are yet to do so, individual states are implementing their own intermediate guidelines. The link below is a letter from a coalition of signatories (including the Nuclear Energy Institute, the US Chamber of Commerce and the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers) to the FAA, proposing a regulatory framework to assist in the FAA in the expeditious implementation of Section 2209.

Bottom line: Major energy producers and other critical infrastructure operators in the US are desperate for federal regulation to counter the acknowledged threat posed by UAS. In my opinion, the US domestic market will be the game changer for DRO. Exciting times.

Link: https://www.uschamber.com/comment/coalition-letter-the-faa-implementation-of-section-2209