In the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) latest aerospace forecast, it noted the “phenomenal growth” of the small unmanned aerial system (UAS or drone) industry. The FAA reported that at the end of 2018 there were 277,000 UAS registered with the FAA. In the FAA’s 2017 report and predictions, that number was expected to be only 158,900. The FAA further said in its report that the UAS sector “will be much larger than what [the FAA previously] understood.”

Overall, in the last five years, the UAS industry has seen “healthy growth,” but the FAA also reports that the introduction of so many UAS into the national airspace has sparked some “operational challenges,” including safe integration into the national airspace. However, despite the safety challenges, the FAA says that the UAS sector holds enormous promise. To read the full report, click here.