“I am an independent AI/Robotics researcher. I design and build fully autonomous drones for both indoor and outdoor applications. Any regulations would severely hamper my ability to innovate in this area. I have never flown my drone above 40 feet or outside of my own property or property that I otherwise have permission to fly over. I have never flown in an unsafe way. The proposed regulations are simply unnecessary and overbearing and are a prior restraint on my freedoms even though I fly safely. In addition, I feel these new rules are only being proposed to allow commercial drone operators the ability to bring drones to market using GPS only capabilities without having to innovate the artificial intelligence necessary for fully autonomous flight and obstacle avoidance, These new rules will prevent all small independent innovators the opportunity to bring real innovation to the skies. Instead you will have created a monopoly situation where a few big players have complete control of the low altitude airways and will now have no incentive for further innovation. They are simply using the FAA’s regulatory authority to remove all obstacles from the skies via legal means. So they do not have to expend the research dollars necessary to develop real AI and obstacle avoidance technologies. Instead of adding additional barriers to market entry the FAA’s should look to remove many of its existing regulations relating to drones. The safety concerns related to drones in the US have been extremely exaggerated. We have had a strong hobbyist presence in the US for decades and decades and not one accident has occurred. The truth of the matter is that most of the popular hobbyist drones are simply not heavy enough to hurt people. Sure, a window could be broken here and there. But, that is not a grave concern is it? Larger drones could possibly pose greater risk. But, I would be against any regulation until real proof and not “news” stories are available. Those weighing less than 5kg should be completely deregulated. It makes no sense to regulate 5 kg and under drones. They simply are not enough of a potential safety hazard to warrant regulation. We have civil courts to handle the small amounts of damages that such small drones may cause. I respectfully request that you reconsider ALL existing drone regulations and stop considering the needs of just large corporations. More importantly, you need to consider the freedom of all Americans to have access to the airways not just a handful of large companies.”