Category Archives: Regulatory Matters

Mumbai Police Investigate Pizza Delivery by QuadCopter

Police have launched a probe into the usage of a quadcopter by a Lower Parel-based outlet of a pizza chain in Mumbai, which has now become an internet sensation.  The eatery created its own slice of history on May 11 when it successfully test-delivered a 13-inch Margherita from its Lower Parel outlet to a highrise in Worli, 1.5-km away, in 10 minutes using a remote-controlled, GPS-enabled quadcopter. Continue reading

Explaining the European Approach To Civil RPAS

Logo_UVS_square_quadri _DB-copie

On 23 June 2014, the RPAS 2014 conference in Brussels, Belgium will be opened with a speech by Mr Siim Kallas, Vice President of the European Commission & Commissioner for Transport. The RPAS 2014 conference, which is coordinated with ICAO, European Commission, European RPAS Steering Group, EASA, SESAR JU, EUROCONTROL, EDA, JARUS, ECAC, and the International RPAS Coordination Council, will be Europe’s most important RPAS event in 2014. Continue reading

FAA Eyes Initial Limited Commercial UAS Operations

FAA

The FAA is working to approve limited commercial operations by unmanned aircraft in specific applications, such as crop spraying, that pose a low risk to those on the ground. Four industries have approached the agency about using language in the 2012 FAA reauthorisation act to get an exemption to the ban on civil UAS, says Jim Williams, UAS integration office manager. Continue reading

First Responder Network Opportunity for UAS

By R. Michael Senkowski, Anna M. Gomez, and Katy M. Ross 

The First Responder Network Authority, or FirstNet, is charged with deploying the first high-speed, nationwide wireless broadband network for public safety. This network provides an excellent platform for public safety to deploy and use unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). UAS are an important tool for public safety, whether for law enforcement, fire response, or emergency services response. UAS providers and manufacturers should therefore be engaged with FirstNet’s efforts to plan and deploy its network. Continue reading

The Civil Use of Drones, a Challenge to Privacy ?

Privacy and data protection associated with the civil and commercial use of drones is of outmost importance for the European Commission.Considering the fast development of these applications, the Commission wants to ensure that privacy and data protection issues are properly addressed and taken into consideration. For that reason the EC has commissioned a study that is being carried out by a consortium led by Trilateral Research & Consulting. Continue reading

FAA’s ‘Vision’ Is To Delegate Authority to UAS Test Ranges

faa_micheal_huertaThe FAA aims to delegate authority to the six national unmanned aircraft system (UAS) test ranges it has chosen to issue their own experimental airworthiness certificates to manufacturers to test fly aircraft. The North Dakota test range, which planned to begin operations this week as the first range to receive an FAA certificate of authorization (COA), expects to eventually have two designated airworthiness representatives.

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