The FAA’s regulatory actions on unmanned aircraft systems (“UAS”) are accelerating, making it more important than ever for those in the industry—and those looking to use this technology in their own sectors—to keep their eyes on Washington.

At a drone industry conference earlier this month, the FAA announced a new partnership to explore the future of UAS operations, beyond the limited range of operations permitted by the draft rules the agency released in February. The focus of the FAA program, called “Pathfinder,” is on three areas that have been the subject of much discussion after the release of the draft rules: visual line-of-sight operations in urban and populated areas, extended line-of-sight operations in rural areas, and beyond visual line-of-sight operations.