The FAA’s position is as simple as it is inane. If a realtor films buildings for fun using a remote controlled quadcopter that’s legal. But if she takes that same quadcopter and films buildings as part of her job, that is illegal. If a farmer flies a model aircraft over his cornfield doing barrel rolls and loops, that’s legal. But if he uses the same model airplane to determine how to conserve water or use less fertilizer that’s illegal. This is government regulation at its worst.
The FAA decision is a reversal from the initiatives entertained at different universities:
Drone Technology Advancements Yield New Education Opportunities