Briefing: April 2015

The FAA published its proposed rules for integrating unmanned aerial systems into the national airspace in February and drew a mixed reaction. The rules, which will apply to drones weighing up to 55 pounds used for commercial purposes, were less restrictive than many expected, but still would not allow some key technologies. For example, Amazons proposed delivery drones, which would operate autonomously or by remote control, are not allowed under the proposal-the FAA said drones can only be flown within sight of the operator. However, many uses, such as search-and-rescue, crop monitoring, and aerial photography, would be possible under the proposal, which is open for public comments until mid-April.

Key Takeaways:

• The FAA unveiled proposed rules for commercial drones, allowing uses like search-and-rescue and photography but restricting autonomous flight and operations beyond the operator's sight.
• The general aviation market saw mixed results in 2014, with sales increases for jets and piston airplanes but declines for turboprops and helicopters.
• NTSB and AOPA criticized the FAA's revised airworthiness directive for ECi cylinders as overly broad and costly, potentially affecting 5,000 aircraft.
• The Martin Jetpack, a personal flying platform for first responders, successfully debuted on the stock market, raising $27 million in its IPO.

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