Two small drones, Insitu‘s Scan Eagle X200 and AeroVironment‘s PUMA, have become the first federally certified unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for civilian use in the US. One will operate off the Alaska coast to survey ice floats and wildlife; the other will conduct commercial environmental monitoring in the Arctic Circle, assist emergency response teams in oil spill monitoring and conduct wildlife observations.

Both drones have fixed wings, weigh less than 55 pounds each, and have wingspans of less than 10 feet.