DALLAS — A panel of privacy experts and technology companies organized by the Obama administration has issued guidelines for using drones without being overly intrusive.

The suggestions are voluntary, but some business interests involved in the debate hope the guidelines head off tougher regulations that they fear could smother the drone industry in its infancy.

News organizations are exempt from the guidelines on free-press grounds.

Supporters say drones could provide huge benefits, from inspecting power lines to delivering medicine to remote areas. Google Inc. and Amazon.com Inc. want to use them for deliveries. Falling prices have made drones popular among hobbyists, too.

However, their small size and ability to go just about anywhere – while carrying cameras and sensors – have raised privacy concerns.

The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration on Thursday released the “best practices,” which were supported by drone makers, Amazon and other technology companies and retailers, and privacy advocates. The suggestions are aimed at both commercial and private drone users.

Among the many recommendations:

n Operators shouldn’t fly their drones over private property without the owner’s consent.

n They should alert people in the area ahead of time when it is practical and explain the drone flight’s purpose.

n Unless there is “a compelling need,” operators shouldn’t fly a drone where someone has a reasonable expectation of privacy and a drone should not be used to follow someone continuously.

n Don’t use information gathered by drones for decisions about employment, credit or eligibility for health care.

n Don’t use personal information for marketing purposes without the individual’s consent.

n Information from drones shouldn’t be held longer than “reasonably necessary,” although exceptions can be made for legal disputes, safety reasons or with permission of the person being watched.

There are about 5,600 drones registered for commercial purposes and about 450,000 hobbyists have registered at least one drone, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Their soaring popularity has put pressure on the industry and privacy advocates to agree on guidelines governing use.