Beyond the mining applications mentioned in the article, I can see aerial or tethered robots working on highrise building construction, washing windows on exist

Beyond the mining applications mentioned in the article, I can see aerial or tethered robots working on highrise building construction, washing windows on existing structures, or examining and treating specific plants rather than "cropdusting" entire fields in agriculture. A fresh era of technology transformation is underway and robot drone applications are already creating an economic ecosystem of tech companies and new jobs for operators, while replacing some dangerous jobs in the process. The FAA is late to form rules for commercial UAVs based on Sec 333 that Congress has already passed in 2012 (the FAA rules were supposed to be complete one year after to enable commercial UAVs [1]. Perhaps we need congress to pass more direct regulations that allow for expanded commercial use, while leaving hobbyists and tinkerers free to experiment and build new things. I'm a member of the AMA (Academy of Model Aeronautics) and the biggest concern among members is the ongoing erosion of our right to fly (although hobby craft are supposed to be exempt from FAA rulemaking per Sec 336 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 [1]) as the FAA has recently lumped any "non-hobby" RC planes, quadcopters, and sUAV "drones" all in the same bucket of full-scale manned-aircraft.[2] This would include tiny handheld lightweight drones to larger craft up to 55lbs. [1] http://www.faa.gov/uas/media/Sec_331_336_UAS.pdf http://www.faa.gov/uas/media/Sec_331_336_UAS.pdf and http://www.faa.gov/uas/legislative_programs/section_333/ http://www.faa.gov/uas/legislative_programs/section_333/ [2] http://amablog.modelaircraft.org/amagov/2015/02/15/dotfaa-announce-proposed-rule-for-suas/ http://amablog.modelaircraft.org/amagov/2015/02/15/dotfaa-an...