The Safe DRONE Act of 2017 is being introduced by four U.S. senators in a bipartisan bill designed to advance the development of the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry and ensure the U.S. keeps pace in the development and implementation of the technology. The Safe DRONE Act of 2017 is being introduced by U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner, D-Va.; John Hoeven, R-N.D.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; and Dean Heller, R-Nev. There … Read More
Second Set of UAS Facility Maps Released
The FAA has released the second set of UAS Facility Maps. As mentioned previously (The FAA Has Published the First Set Of UAS Facility Maps), the UAS flight maps will be rolling out in a patchwork like method covering areas and specific locations which may be more sensitive than others first. The maps may be found through the arcgis portal and you may read more about the UAS Facility Maps … Read More
FAA has Established Drone I.D. Rulemaking Committee
Who is operating that drone? That’s the question law enforcement and homeland security want to know when an unmanned aircraft (UAS) appears to be flying in an unsafe manner or where it’s not supposed to fly. Currently, there are no established requirements or voluntary standards for electrically broadcasting information to identify an unmanned aircraft while it’s in the air. To help protect the public and the National Airspace System from … Read More
FAA Safety Briefing: You and UAS
The FAA Safety Briefing for May/June changes it’s focus to the (UAS) Unmanned Aircraft System or commonly know as Drones. Featuring articles on UAS integration into our airspace, who requires a certificate, where you may find additional resources on the web, law enforcement guides, and more. We’ve included some links below to the full publication as well as individual sections of which may be of interest. Download (PDF) Download (EPUB) Featured … Read More
The FAA Has Published the First Set of UAS Facility Maps
The Federal Aviation Administration has published more than 200 facility maps to assist in streamlining the commercial drone authorization process. The maps depict areas and altitudes near airports where UAS may operate safely. Drone operators will still need FAA authorization to fly in those areas. The maps will help drone operators improve the quality of their Part 107 airspace authorization requests and help the FAA process the requests more quickly. … Read More
FAA to Release Drone Flight Maps
Update: The FAA has now released the first series of drone flight maps. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) plans to release the first set of drone or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) maps on April 27. The maps will depict areas and altitudes near airports where UAS may operate safely. They will help drone operators improve the quality of their Part 107 airspace authorization requests and will help the FAA process … Read More
Military Base Restrictions for Drone Operations
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is using its existing authority under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) § 99.7 – “Special Security Instructions” – to address national security concerns about unauthorized drone operations over 133 military facilities. This is the first time the agency has instituted airspace restrictions that specifically apply only to unmanned aircraft, popularly known as “drones.” The authority under § 99.7 is limited … Read More
Analysis of more than 300 Waivers Granted to Part 107 finds Nighttime Operations Most Common Request
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) today released a report that finds nearly 90 percent of the waivers granted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under Part 107 went to small businesses. According to the report, most of the waivers allow businesses to operate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at night, which is not permitted under the current rule. The report also finds that businesses in … Read More
The 2017 UAS Symposium Begins Today
The 2017 UAS Symposium begins today, which takes place at the Hyatt Regency in Reston, VA, from March 27 to 29. The FAA and Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) are co-sponsors of this year’s Symposium, which will bring together representatives from government, industry, and academia to discuss the fast-growing unmanned aircraft (UAS) community. Nearly two dozen panels, breakout sessions, and workshops are scheduled for the three-day event. Last … Read More
Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Featured Hundreds of Drones!
Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl halftime show featured hundreds of flying lit up drones. Lady Gaga’s Super Bowl 51 halftime show Sunday will light up the sky with a coordinated swarm of several hundred aerial drones — forming different shapes as they hover above Houston’s NRG Stadium. The 12-minute halftime show, sponsored by Pepsi, will feature Lady Gaga performing under a canopy of shimmering drones, CNN reported Saturday citing sources familiar … Read More