Drones

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved uAvionix Corp.’s Ping200S ADS-B-capable Mode S transponder. The tiny 50-gram unit, measuring just 59 by 57 by 17 mm, is ideal for drones, high-altitude balloons and nonpowered gliders, the manufacturer says. The Ping 200S also combines low-power drain with a powerful transmitter delivering the same safety and situational […]

It was a year filled with big news stories that not only helped to reshape the general aviation landscape but will almost certainly continue to do so for many years to come. The past 12 months have seen aircraft milestones, major changes to FAA regulations and a presidential election unlike any we have witnessed in […]

It was a whole new world to us. From the air, John and I saw the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, the Pacific Ocean, and what was to become our new hometown in California — all on our first cross-country after we got our licenses. We were hooked. From that time on, our lives were […]

While most UAS operators were overjoyed at last August’s release of Part 107 governing drone use, the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) says there is work yet to be done to safely integrate these aircraft into the National Airspace System. In a critical audit on UAS operations released earlier this month, the […]

With experts claiming it’s only a matter of time before a drone and a manned aircraft tangle, the FAA and the Department of Homeland Security are trying to stay ahead of the problem by conducting drone-detection research in the vicinity of Denver International Airport. A House report accompanying the Fiscal Year 2016 federal appropriations law […]

While talk of drones in all shapes and sizes — aircraft capable of tasks like snapping photos from 200 feet above a hazardous situation — has become almost a part of daily life around the world, some companies are already hard at work on the next generation of autonomous vehicle. An Israeli company, Tactical Robotics, […]

Although Florida pilots aren’t permitted to overfly the mouse, the FAA this week approved a special exemption for the no-fly zone over Walt Disney World in Orlando. In the coming weeks, UAVs will be featured in the theme park’s holiday shows. The FAA’s proposed UAV rules only permit daytime flights, with a pilot only flying […]

The FAA says it’s already processed 81 authorizations for drone flights into Class D and E airspace, as well as 36 waivers to Part 107 since the rule became effective August 29. The bad news, however, at least for operators trying to take advantage of the easier access offered by the new rule, is that […]

Yesterday, the FAA’s Part 107 small UAS rule took effect, essentially eliminating the need for commercial drone operators to file time-consuming exemption paperwork to use their machines, as long as pilots abide by Part 107, of course. The agency’s explanation yesterday of efforts to minimize risk to people on the ground and in the air […]

Operators of drones weighing more than half a pound need to earn an FAA remote pilot certificate. The only exception is recreational operators. The FAA begins accepting applications for the new Part 107 remote pilot certificate August 29. The agency’s recreation versus commercial operator decision tree should get applicants headed in the right direction. Remote […]