Drone downer: Will new FAA rules ground recreational fliers?

(Reuters) - Americans shopping for toy remote-controlled airplanes or helicopters may find, sometime in the near future, that they come with unexpected accessories: A raft of new regulations.
The Federal Aviation Administration, by the end of the month, is expected to propose new rules governing small unmanned aircraft systems, the first major overhaul of its drone policy.
The agency is closely guarding details, saying only that the rules will cover a wide range of users flying aircraft or drones weighing 55 pounds or less.
But legal and policy experts who have advised the FAA and lobbied on drone regulations said they predict the new regulations will include restrictions on hundreds of thousands of people who fly quad-copters or toy planes in parks or backyards.
The focus on toy aircraft is a new twist. Such regulations have been in the works for years, largely because of pressure from businesses wanting to use drones for tasks such as aerial photography.