FAA proposes new rules for small drones; NUAIR, Schumer react

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed regulations that would allow “routine” use of certain small, unmanned-aircraft systems (UAS) in the current aviation system.

 

Unmanned-aircraft systems are often referred to as drones.

 

The FAA announced the proposed regulations in a news release posted to its website on Sunday.

 

The FAA proposal offers safety rules for small drones, or those weighing less than 55 pounds, conducting non-recreational operations, the administration said in the news release.

 

The rule would limit flights to daylight hours; visual-line-of-sight operations; and would restrict the flight altitude to a maximum of 500 feet above ground level, according to a document posted at the FAA website.

 

The regulations would also address operator certification; optional use of a visual observer; aircraft registration and marking; and operational limits.

 

Locally, the NUAIR Alliance isn’t “100 percent sure” how the proposed rules will affect it, says Lawrence Brinker, executive director & general counsel for the NUAIR Alliance.

 

“We are sure that it’s a good step in the right direction,” he added.

 

He spoke with CNYBJ in a phone interview on Monday.

 

Rome’s Griffiss International Airport has partnered with the Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance (NUAIR), a consortium of public entities, private industry, and academic institutions in New York and Massachusetts, to conduct drone testing, research, and development.

 

The organizations in both states are operating one of six test sites in the U.S. for drone development.

 

Brinker believes the lack of an FAA “pathway” for guidance on commercial use has “held back” some of the testing activity on the test site.

 

“So people have been keeping their investments on the sidelines and have not been investing as much as I think they will now in the development. There is at least light at the end of the tunnel,” says Brinker.

 

Much of NUAIR’s work in 2015, Brinker says, is centered on larger-size UAS.

 

In addition to the proposed rules, the FAA is also asking for comment about how the agency can “further leverage” the UAS test-site program and an upcoming UAS “Center of Excellence” to further spur innovation at “innovation zones,” according to its news release.

 

Brinker isn’t sure what that means as of now, but calls it “pretty interesting.” 

 

Schumer reaction

The FAA rules are a “solid first step” but need “a lot more refining,” U.S. Senator Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) said in a statement his office released on Sunday.

 

“I am pleased that they require drones to fly below 500 feet and significantly outside of airport and other secure airspace. Meanwhile, the inclusion of the rule that drones must be flown within the operator’s line of sight appears to be a concerning limitation on commercial usage; I urge the FAA to modify that as these rules are finalized,” Schumer said.

 

Schumer also urged the FAA to consider a requirement that manufacturers equip their drones with geo-fencing technology.

 

The technology would limit where the drone can fly, the Democrat said.

 

“…inclusion of this missing reform would make enforcement of all of FAA’s safety rules on small drones easier and more automatic,” he added.

 

Schumer wants to continue working with the FAA to “expand eligible commercial uses for drones.”

 

“As the FAA finalizes these rules, I encourage them to strike a balance that both allows the commercial potential of drones to take flight, but also ensures near-misses with commercial aircraft and places like the White House don’t happen again,” said Schumer.

 

The Democrat was referring to an incident on Jan. 26 in which an employee of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, a government entity with mapping and national-security duties, was operating a drone that crashed on the White House grounds, according to Jan. 27 article on the CNN website.

 

The employee owned the drone, was off duty at the time, and self-reported the incident to the U.S. Secret Service, CNN reported.

 

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com