Congress Orders FAA To Develop Rules In Three Years

The FAA reauthorization act which has now passed both houses of Congress includes a mandate to the FAA to develop regulations for the testing and licensing of commercial unmanned aerial vehicles within three years. That provision puts a sudden end to vagueness in the discussion of how UAVs will avoid becoming a hazard to manned aircraft. It is also guaranteed to intensify protests from privacy advocates who fear abuse of surveillance drones by police.

On the airspace issue, Doug Marshall, a New Mexico State University professor helping develop regulations and standards, tells USA Today, "It's about coming up with a plan where everybody can get along. Nobody wants to get hurt. Nobody wants to cause an accident."

Tests of civilian law enforcement drones so far have been limited to 400' AGL and below, which provides a theoretical buffer from higher-flying fixed-wing aircraft over populated areas. But helicopters frequently operate below 400', especially in missions such as air ambulance work. Drones near airports, where aircraft on approach or departure could be under 400', will also be an issue.

Regarding the impact on privacy, critics say it's one thing to assume your outdoor activities are considered fair game for aerial surveillance, but a different matter when aerial vehicles may be small, nearly silent, able to hover undetected outside your windows, and equipped with infrared sensors. Steven Aftergood, who heads the Project on Government Secrecy at the Federation of American Scientists, tells the Washington Times, "There are serious policy questions on the horizon about privacy and surveillance, by both government agencies and commercial entities."

Federal lawmakers have been lobbied by defense contractors making military UAVs to open up a civilian drone market, but there are also many small manufacturers which have developed tiny, relatively inexpensive drones based on radio-controlled model helicopter technology. Companies of all sizes are waiting for rules which will free them to sell what they've developed to police agencies, realtors, and other civilian users.

The language in the FAA reauthorization bill sets a deadline only for the development of the regulations. It's not clear when permission to integrate UAVs into the national airspace system might follow.

FMI: www.faa.gov