The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) has sent a letter to the FAA encouraging the agency to allow limited unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations before the small UAS rule is finalized. The letter also urged the FAA to stick to its newest deadline for publication of the small UAS Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), and to make the NPRM a top priority for 2014.

The FAA has been working on the NPRM since 2009. The FAA this month indicated that the small UAS rule is now expected to be published in November 2014 - almost four years late.

While the rulemaking proceeds, AUVSI President and CEO Michael Toscano called on the FAA to use its authority to allow small UAS operations "in areas where there is little risk to manned aircraft or people on the ground, such as around power lines, pipelines and rural farms."

Toscano also urged the agency to adhere to its timeline for the publication of the small UAS rule, noting that, "until the FAA writes the rules for small unmanned aircraft, the commercial UAS industry will remain grounded."

"AUVSI's economic impact study found that, in the first decade following integration, the UAS industry will create more than 100,000 jobs and $82 billion in economic impact. However, each day that integration is delayed will lead to $27 million in lost economic impact," the letter reads.

The full letter may be found here.