Search Results for: drones

While the FAA is still establishing rules to govern unmanned aircraft systems, the agency continues to deliver materials to educate members of the public about what they can and cannot do with their drones. Most recently, the FAA has launched a campaign to make the public aware of a No Drone Zone in the area […]

I read your editorial The Drones Are Here with interest. You asked the question When was the last time you flew below 400 feet away from an airport? My answer is: yesterday.As a seaplane pilot, I do this all the time over bodies of water. So do thousands of other seaplane and helicopter pilots. There is no way on earth that we would ever be able to see and avoid these tiny toy aircraft-at least not in time for the avoid part-and for sure, their untrained operators would not be likely to anticipate and avoid us. It is not a matter of if, but when someone will be killed by these dangerous drone operations. I guess our lives are less important than the interests of hundreds of thousands of drone hobbyists.

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.

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.

A business center called Grand Sky has claimed the spot as the first commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) business and aviation park in the United States. The center is located at the Grand Forks Air Force Base, 16 miles west of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and offers 1.2 million square feet of hangar, office, shop, […]

Are you thinking about taking a new direction in your aviation career? Do you want to join a new field with untapped opportunity? Unmanned aerial systems may provide the path you’re looking for. With degrees now offered at more than 50 accredited colleges worldwide, UAS is the next big thing in aviation studies. Here’s how […]

It’s been a long time coming, but over the weekend the FAA released a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for the operation and certification of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) weighing less than 55 pounds. The NPRM suggests that people flying drones would be referred to as “operators” and not pilots. These operators would have to […]

There’s no question that drones are here to stay and we will likely soon see uses for these remotely controlled aerial vehicles that we can’t even imagine. But a growing number of citizens are concerned about their privacy as an increasing number of camera-clad buzzers fly near their homes. As people are looking for solutions, […]

The case of the FAA vs. Raphael Pirker has finally come to an end with a settlement that reduces the videographer’s $10,000 fine to $1,100 after he was charged by the agency for flying his Zephyr drone recklessly to capture aerial shots of the University of Virginia in 2011. In court Pirker argued that the […]

CNN has become the first news organization in the United States approved to use UAVs for reporting after the FAA granted the cable news network a special flight exemption. CNN is partnering with the Georgia Tech Research Institute to test camera-equipped drones for newsgathering and reporting. The FAA will analyze data from the tests to […]