A Tuscan-based company, FVP CATALOG, has received a rare exemption from the FAA to fly UAVs for commercial purposes.  The Section 333 exemption was granted to only 247 people in the country.  FVP CATALOG owner Bruce Pogosaew spent six months in the complicated process and received it in part because of his willingness to venture into agriculture inspections if farmers begin requesting the service.

“What we’re going to do is start out doing small product videos and stuff,” Pogosaew said. “If people start asking we’re going to venture into agricultural inspections.”

Although current federal laws regarding UAVs are few in number, the only sanctioned use of drones is for recreational purposes, making Pogosaew’s business model unique.  Getting the exemption at all was a surprise to Pogosaew, who believed he might only ever jump through hoops.  Proving his company would somehow use the exemption to benefit the public was part of that.  In addition to possible agriculture-related work, FVP plans to use the drones to assist with search and rescue.