Existing Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) rules had meant commercial operators needed a pilot's license in order to fly even small drones - a stipulation industry advocates said was unnecessarily restrictive.

In addition to the license, commercial drone operators had to apply to the FAA on a case-by-case basis to gain permission. To date, only 5,300 commercial applicants were successful in gaining permission from the FAA, a tiny fraction of drones owned in the US.