FAA Projects 7M Drones Will Be Sold Annually By 2020

Annual sales of drones in the U.S. will hit 2.5 million this year and swell to 7 million by 2020, according to a projection from the Federal Aviation Administration. Unmanned aircraft purchases are growing both for hobbyists and for commercial ventures that perform inspections, assist farmers, and survey construction sites, according to the agency’s annual forecast of aviation activity, released on Thursday. While the FAA isn’t expected to issue regulations allowing commercial uses of drones until later this year, it’s granted more than 4,100 exemptions for businesses flying unmanned craft.