UAS America Fund Files FAA Formal Petition for Rule-making on “Micro” Drones

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Law firm Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems practice head Brendan Schulman has filed with the Federal Aviation Administration a formal Petition for Rulemaking (“Petition”) on behalf of the UAS America Fund, LLC (“UAS Fund”), proposing a new “micro” unmanned aircraft (“mUA”) rule. The proposed regulation would govern all commercial operations for unmanned aircraft systems (“UAS”) that are extremely lightweight — three pounds or less — operated at low altitudes (below 400 feet), at least five miles away from airports and by pilots with a demonstrated level of aeronautical knowledge. Continue reading →

Know Before You Fly

Leading unmanned aircraft systems industry and hobbyist groups, along with the federal government,have launched a new education campaign titled “Know Before You Fly,” which provides prospective operators with the information and guidance they need to fly safely and responsibly. The effort is being spearheaded by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) and the Small UAV Coalition in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Continue reading →

Drone Sensors Sniff Out IEDs

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One of the gravest dangers to U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan over the last decade has been improvised explosive devices. Two-thirds of all casualties in Iraq have been caused by the crudely made bombs, Pentagon data show. The story is largely the same in Afghanistan, where IED attacks accounted for 61 percent of all reported casualties through the end of last month. Continue reading →