THE LOOP — Chicago-based construction company Clayco Corp. is one of four companies awarded a potentially lucrative regulatory exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration to operate drones for commercial use.
The exemption, which permits Clayco to use unmanned aircraft outfitted with cameras for "aerial surveying [and] construction site monitoring," lifts the tight regulations that limit drone use by corporations, according to a release from the FAA.
Under the expemption rules, the drones must weigh less than 55 pounds and stay within the sight of their operators.
"Clayco is using drones as a safer and leading-edge technology to further our BIM — 'building information modeling' — process," said Bob Clark, CEO of Clayco.
The ability to use drones will help with topographic surveys, environmental site assessments, job site safety and serve "as an enhancement to our design teams' capability to collect data," Clark said.
"In short, it is a competitive advantage which is hard to come by in our business," he said.
The drone ban was enacted in 2012 amid concerns that unregulated drone operation could pose a threat to national air space or national security, according the FAA. In June, BP oil company was awarded the first commercial authorization to monitor oilfield operations in Alaska.
In September, seven film and video companies were also awarded exemptions to use camera-equipped drones.
The FAA reports that it awarded four exemptions Wednesday out of 167 requests for exemptions from commercial entities.
Clayco Corp. relocated to Chicago from St. Louis three years ago, and is now based at 35 E. Wacker Drive.
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