UAVsFAA moves on integrating drones into U.S. airspace
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) now allows a government public safety agency and first responders to operate drones weighing 4.4 pounds or less in the U.S. air space, but under certain restrictions: these drones should be used for training and performance evaluation, they must be flown within the line of sight of the operator, less than 400 feet above the ground, during daylight conditions, inside Class G (uncontrolled) airspace, and more than five miles from any airport or other location with aviation activities; the FAA says that if safety agencies then apply for a waiver, the agency will allow the operation of drones weighing up to twenty-five pounds
FAA accelerates process to integrate drones into U.S. airspace // Source: borsarti.com
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says it has been working to ensure the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS). The FAA notes that its “sole mission and authority as it focuses on the integration of unmanned aircraft systems is safety.”
Already, the agency says it has achieved the first unmanned aircraft systems milestone included in the 2012 FAA reauthorization — streamlining the process for public agencies to safely fly UAS in U.S. airspace.
Federal, state, and local government authorities must obtain an FAA Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) before flying drones in the national air space. Now, under the FAA Reauthorization bill, the agency must to find a way to expedite that COA process within ninety days of enactment, which is 14 May 2012.
The FAA says it has been working with other government agencies to streamline COA procedures as part of the effort to ensure drones are safely integrated into the national air space. In 2009, the FAA, NASA, and the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security formed a UAS Executive Committee, or “ExCom,” to address UAS integration issues. The ExCom established a working group that developed suggestions to expedite the COA process and increase transparency into those activities.
The FAA implemented recommendations, including establishing metrics for tracking COAs throughout the process and improving the on-time rate for granting an authorization.
The agency says that it also developed an automated, Web-based process to streamline steps and ensure a COA application is complete and ready for review.
Another part of the reauthorization bill directed the FAA to “allow a government public safety agency to operate unmanned aircraft weighing 4.4 pounds or less” under certain restrictions. The bill further specifies these drones must be flown within the line of sight of the operator, less than 400 feet above the ground, during daylight conditions, inside Class G (uncontrolled) airspace, and more than five miles from any airport or other location with aviation activities.
The FAA says initially, law enforcement organizations will receive a COA for training and performance evaluation. When the organization has shown proficiency in flying its drones, it will receive an operational COA. The agreement also expands the allowable UAS weight up to twenty-five pounds.
In March 2012 the FAA created a new UAS Integration office, which brings together specialists from the aviation safety and air traffic organizations. The office serves as the FAA’s one-stop portal for all matters related to civil and public use of unmanned aircraft systems in U.S. airspace.
The FAA says it has received more than 200 comments after asking for public input on the process for selecting six UAS test sites mandated by Congress. In July, the agency expects to request proposals to manage the test sites in order to make the selections in December. These sites are important because they will provide valuable data to the agency on how safely to integrate drones into the U.S. airspace by 2015, as required by the 2012 FAA reauthorization.
