Amazon has been granted the ability to fly their drones, or more specifically as per the FAA website: Amazon Gets Experimental Airworthiness Certificate. It is pretty simple, as per the release: "all flight operations must be conducted at 400 feet or below during daylight hours in visual meteorological conditions. The UAS must always remain within visual line-of-sight of the pilot and observer. The pilot actually flying the aircraft must have at least a private pilot's certificate and current medical certification." That sounds pretty dumb. I would love to hear a pilots opinion on the matter.
Surely flying drones (which can pilot themselves) in urban areas at a very low altitude does not necessarily mean the same rules should apply as commercial airlines? I suppose that they (the drones) could have accidents and endanger someone below, that is what the broader public and the FAA are worried about is my best guess. One year ago the FAA supplied a document about unmanned aircraft: Busting Myths about the FAA and Unmanned Aircraft-Update. I suspect the last myth is something to watch.