The first-ever safety guidelines for the unmanned aerial systems in the country, compiled by the Japan UAS Industrial Development Association, stipulate where and how to fly the aircraft. They also call on users to obtain the operator’s license to be introduced voluntarily by the association, get damage insurance coverage, and file reports with authorities if accidents happen. The guidelines were announced at a symposium held in Tokyo on Tuesday. Continue reading
Category Archives: Regulatory Matters
Lockheed Martin Tech for UAS UTM System
Lockheed Martin has deployed the first components of an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Traffic Management (UTM) system aimed to improve situational awareness to UAS operators and pilots as unmanned aircraft begin to enter airspace. Continue reading
FAA Passes 1,000 UAS Section 333 Exemptions
In its continuing effort to safely expand and support commercial unmanned aircraft operations in U.S. airspace, the Federal Aviation Administration has now granted more than 1,000 Section 333 exemption approvals. As of today, the agency has issued 1,008 such exemptions. Continue reading
ASA ANPA 2015-10 – Introduction of a Regulatory Framework for the Operation of Drones
The drone industry is diverse, innovative and international. It has an enormous potential for growth with the associated possibility to create jobs. To ensure a safe, secure and environmentally friendly development, and to respect the citizens’ legitimate concerns for privacy and data protection, EASA has been tasked by the European Commission — following the Riga Conference1 and its associated Declaration — to develop a regulatory framework for drone operations, as well as concrete proposals for the regulation of low-risk drone operations. Continue reading
NAAA Launches UAV Safety Campaign
The National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA) has launched a UAV safety campaign to raise awareness and prevent accidents between UAV operators and low-altitude manned aircraft. The first public outreach tool in the safety campaign is a UAV “safety stuffer” designed for aerial applicators to share with farmers and other agricultural stakeholders.
ECA wants EASA to Prioritise Safety in UAV Regulations
The European Cockpit Association (ECA) has published a paper calling for regulations on unmanned air vehicles proposed by EASA to focus on the safety of people and manned aviation, and not the rights of recreational operators to fly such aircraft. Continue reading
ALPA’s Flight Plan for Safe and Fair Skies
The US Air Line Pilots Association’s (ALPA) white paper published last week, A Flight Plan for Safe and Fair Skies, looks at, among other issues, the safe integration of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS). Continue reading
FAA Says Wildfires and Drones Don’t Mix
Responding to recent incidents in which unmanned aircraft systems interfered with manned aircraft involved in wildland firefighting operations, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is supporting the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Service in their simple message to drone operators: If you fly; we can’t.