A federal court upheld the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) subpoenas of a 19-year-old Connecticut drone operator in relation to YouTube videos showing two drones (also known as unmanned aircraft systems or UAS) modified to carry a flamethrower and a handgun. Continue reading
Category Archives: Regulatory Matters
FAA Drone Advisory Committee to Hold Inaugural Meeting
The newly established Drone Advisory Committee (DAC) will hold its inaugural meeting on September 16 as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continues to builds on its strong record of collaborating with the aviation community to safely integrate unmanned aircraft into the nation’s airspace. Continue reading
CNN Receives FAA Approval to Fly UAS Over People
CNN announced yesterday that it has become the first organization to be granted a waiver by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly unmanned aerial systems (UAS) over people in the United States.
Section 333 vs. Part 107: What Works for You?
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) new small drone rule – formally known as Part 107 – is effective from today, August 29. You may also be wondering what happens to your Section 333 exemption grant or petition for exemption. The biggest question is whether you are better off flying under the provisions of Part 107, or should continue using your existing exemption? Continue reading
Applying for a Waiver under the New FAA Drone Rules
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) new small drone rule effective August 29 – formally known as Part 107 – allows for some expanded operations based on technology mitigations if you can make the safety case for a waiver of some provisions. Operators can apply for waivers to operate at night, beyond line of sight, above 400 feet and other specific types of operation. Continue reading
FAA Publishes Air Traffic Organization Policy Order
This order combines new guidance for implementing 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 101, Subpart E, Special Rule for Model Aircraft, and 14 CFR, Part 107 Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) with existing UAS guidance in J NO 7210.891 Unmanned Aircraft Operations in the National Airspace System (cancelled) and General Notice (GENOT) JO 7210.886, Model Aircraft Operations in the Vicinity of Airports (cancelled). This provides a single source document for Air Traffic Organization (ATO) personnel, in any class of airspace. Continue reading
EASA Publishes ‘Prototype’ Commission Regulation on UA Operations
At the UAS Stakeholders Meeting that took place at EASA headquarters on 20 June 2016, EASA announced that it would publish “Prototype Rules” for UAS in the very near future. Continue reading
The Four Most Important Questions Raised by the White House Drone Event
On Tuesday, August 2, 2016 the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) held its first-ever “Workshop on Drones and the Future of Aviation.” The event, co-hosted with the AUVSI Foundation, brought together 150 leaders in the UAS community, ranging from commercial operators to academics and hobbyists to policymakers. The purpose of the event was to stimulate discussion of the future of this burgeoning industry—where is it going? And what does government need to do to help it get there? Continue reading