For the recreational drone pilot, the Academy of Model Aeronautics has a safety code that provides sufficient guidance. Drone pilot proficiency becomes critical when the aircraft is larger, flown at greater altitudes beyond lineof-sight, or deployed for commercial purposes. The reliability of drone hardware and software has safety implications as well. Manned commercial and general aviation aircraft are issued airworthiness certificates by the regulatory agency; even experimental aircraft (including “homebuilt” aircraft in the US) receive airworthiness certificates. Clearly, unmanned aircraft above the “toy” level need a certification process to ensure they are airworthy and do not represent a hazard to other aircraft in the air or people on the ground. Drones that are not autonomous need reliable communications and a safe response to a dropped control or navigation link. The FAA had intended to issue proposed regulations for small UAS by the end of 2014, but did not. To the FAA, getting the regulations right the first time is more important than meeting a deadline. With the release of the FAA’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the public will have its first opportunity to examine the proposed
regulations and provide comments to the Agency over the following months. The entire process of creating the regulations could take one or two years to complete. And this is just for small drones under 55 pounds.
regulations, now Many drone operators will not wait a year or two until the regulations are in place. Tim Trott, author of The Droner’s Guide, says, “The danger is that in waiting to get it all right, the FAA risks letting it all go wrong.” The recent spate of drones being flown into airspace in and around airports is an example of how wrong it can go. This has become such a problem around New York airports that US Senator Chuck Schumer has asked the FAA to speed up the rulemaking process. “Get these rules out and get them out quickly,” Schumer implored. “We need them, drone users want them, flyers want them, average people want them.” As an interim solution, Section 333 of the 2012 Modernization and Reform Act does allow exemptions for “commercial operations in low-risk, controlled environments.” In September 2014, the FAA granted regulatory exemptions to six movie and television production companies; in December, to four
FAA’s Guidelines The latest rules from the Academy of Model Aeronautics and the FAA’s Know Before You Fly program apply to any model aircraft that does not carry humans, and can sustain flight in the atmosphere. Aircraft will not be flown in a careless or reckless manner, devices should stay below 400 feet and/or remain below surrounding obstacles within five miles of an airport, the airport operator or control tower must be notified in advance of operation. Source: AMA Safety Code
Airline Passenger Experience Association
Drones
apex experience
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model pilots will:
>> Not interfere with operations and traffic patterns at any airport, heliport or seaplane base
>> Remain 25 feet away from individuals and vulnerable property >> Not operate in adverse weather conditions
>> Avoid flying over unprotected persons or moving vehicles >> Not operate model aircraft while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Terri Smith @Prognosticus Sooner or later someone is going to fly a #drone into a jet airline’s intake. It’s gonna all drop in the pot after.
sadrack herve @Sadrackherve A mystery drone nearly collided with a commercial airline at Heathrow Airport yesterday.
Thompsons Granton @GrantonBranch Chad Colbu “Canada Drone Regulations 2-3 years ahead of the USA #aupupdate
John Robb @johnrobb If the #FAA is paralyzed over drones >> should drone regulations be left up to the states? Yes.
companies engaged in aerial surveying, construction-site monitoring and oil-rig flare stack inspections; and in January 2015, to a company creating aerial real-estate videos and another for agricultural crop monitoring. But this case-by-case approach will not sustain an industry with a US economic impact of $13.6 billion in the first three years after integration.
the question of autopilot
>> Always yield the right of way to human-carrying aircraft >> See and avoid all aircraft, using a spotter if needed
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For a link to the full list of hobbyist regulations, visit > APEX.AERO/UAV
Some imagine a future where airline flights won’t have pilots onboard. During a panel discussion on the future of aerospace at MIT’s AeroAstro Centennial Symposium in October 2014, Jeff Katz, founding CEO and chairman of travel-booking company, Orbitz, suggests that having fewer pilots per airplane is “on the minds of airline executives today, but [it is] not much talked about.” He predicts that we could see commercial auto-piloting as soon as our children’s generation. But according to Les Dorr, media spokesperson for the FAA, “No one is seriously discussing remotely piloted passenger aircraft at this time.” > volume 5, edition 2
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