Drone FARs

The technology you have in your glass panel, smartphone and the tablet you use in the cockpit? It turns out the same hardware and software putting a blue dot on a moving map-and displaying an accurate artificial horizon-also can be used to operate a small, airborne robot: a drone. Formally known as an unmanned aircraft system, UAS, theyve grown in sophistication and utility to the point Congress in 2012 told the FAA to come up with a framework integrating them into the national airspace system.

Key Takeaways:

• The FAA has proposed basic operating rules for integrating small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) into national airspace, including minimal operator certification and aircraft registration, but stopping short of elaborate training or type certification.
• A key concern is the risk of mid-air collisions, as sUAS operators cannot effectively utilize "see-and-avoid"; the FAA proposes mitigation through visual contact and limited operating areas.
• Despite pilot concerns, there is a significant lack of reliable statistical data to quantify the actual collision risk sUAS pose to manned aircraft, with assessments often based on perceptions rather than quantitative analysis.
• Research suggests that the statistical probability of mid-air collisions, even with sUAS, remains very low, with ground-based incidents posing a greater perceived risk within the UAS community.

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