US turns to NASA for drone traffic plan

America's space agency is entering the second phase of a four-step plan to draw up rules for small drones that fly under 500 feet. The NASA project is meant to develop performance standards for drones that would be used for commercial purposes by companies such as Amazon and Google. The system will be designed to help drone operators deal with weather conditions, restricted air space, airport congestion, and other obstacles. NASA is looking to present its research to the Federal Aviation Administration by the end of 2019. By that time, it estimates there will be 7 million small drones in operation, including 2.6 million aircraft for commercial use.