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| US announces six drone test sites | US announces six drone test sites |
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| The US aviation regulator has announced the six states that will host sites for testing commercial use of drones. | The US aviation regulator has announced the six states that will host sites for testing commercial use of drones. |
| The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) picked sites hosted by research universities and local governments. | |
| The sites are part of a programme to develop safety and operational rules for drones by the end of 2015. | The sites are part of a programme to develop safety and operational rules for drones by the end of 2015. |
| Hitherto mainly used by the military, the potential of drones is now being explored by everyone from real estate agents to farmers or delivery services. | |
| The head of the FAA, Michael Huerta, said safety would be the priority as it considers approval for unleashing the unmanned aircraft into US skies. | The head of the FAA, Michael Huerta, said safety would be the priority as it considers approval for unleashing the unmanned aircraft into US skies. |
| The FAA said in a statement that its decision followed a 10-month process involving proposals from 24 states. | |
| The agency said it had considered geography, climate, location of ground infrastructure, research needs, airspace use, aviation experience and risk. | |
| The sites chosen are: | |
| North Dakota has already committed $5m (£3m) and named a former state Air National Guard Commander as its test site director. | |
| The biggest chunk of the expected growth in the commercial drone industry is currently expected to be for agriculture and law enforcement. | |
| Police and other emergency services could use them for crowd control, taking crime scene photos or for search and rescue missions. | |
| It can cost a police department hundreds of dollars an hour to deploy a helicopter, while an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can be sent into the skies for as little as $25 an hour. | |
| Farmers, meanwhile, might find it easier to spray crops or survey livestock with the pilotless aircraft. | |
| However, the commercial use of drones has drawn criticism from both conservatives and liberals. | |
| In a report last December, the American Civil Liberties Union said that giving drones access to US skies would move the country closer to "a surveillance society in which our every move is monitored, tracked, recorded and scrutinised by the authorities". | |
| But lawmakers from winning states were delighted with the selections. | |
| "This is wonderful news for Nevada that creates a huge opportunity for our economy," said Senator Harry Reid, a Democrat from Nevada. | |
| An industry-commissioned study predicted more than 70,000 jobs - including drone operators - would develop in the first three years after Congress loosens drone restrictions on US skies. | |
| A recent industry study by research firm the Teal Group found that the worldwide commercial drone market could top $89bn in the next decade. |