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We would like to thank everyone who was able to join us for the live presentation of the latest Aviation Webinar Series, “Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft and Flight Over People – The Final Rules.”

We are gratified by the huge turnout and positive feedback we have received.  There were several questions from the audience that we could not address due to the time constraints. … Read More

The FAA has kept its word.  As promised, the FAA has released the final versions of its rules for Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft, for Flight of UAS Over People, and for UAS Night Operations.  These rulemakings represent an important step towards routine flight beyond visual line of sight and full integration of UAS into the National Airspace System.

The Remote ID Rule

The Remote ID proposal was the most controversial of the new rules, and garnered the most public comments. … Read More

The long awaited COVID-19 relief bill has finally arrived from Congress.  Weighing in at an impressive 5,593 pages, it contains at least some of the assistance the aviation industry has been asking for since the summer.

First and foremost among these is continuation of the Payroll Support Program started under the CARES Act.  Section 402 of the new law allocates $15 billion for airlines and $1 billion for aviation contractors. … Read More

Join Us For A Free Webinar to Analyze the New Rules

January 5, 2020 at 1:00 PM Eastern

Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?  The phrase uttered billions of times each year by children, both small and large, on their way to Grandma’s house for Christmas.  It is also the phrase repeated by countless UAS operators this year while waiting for the FAA to release the final UAS rules for remote identification and for flight over people.… Read More

True integration of unmanned aircraft into the National Airspace System will only come when advanced designs finally receive type certification.  The FAA has clearly been working on certification issues behind the scenes, and is finally ready to make the next step public.  The FAA has finally decided to seek public input on the criteria that it will use to certify these cutting edge UAS designs.… Read More

Back in 2018, the Congress tasked the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) with studying the role that state and local governments should play in the regulation of unmanned aircraft and the lower levels of the National Airspace System.  After nearly two years of work, the GAO has finally issued its report.  The report contains a compilation of the current state of the law regarding privacy, federal preemption, property owners’ rights in the airspace over their land, and related topics, and is supported by a detailed 143-page appendix. … Read More

In a long awaited move, the interagency working group responsible for coordinating drone defense policy has issued guidance to the public about what they can and cannot do to combat unauthorized drone use.  The guidance, issued jointly by the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), covers the application of federal criminal laws, aviation safety laws, transportation and airport security laws, and radio frequency and communication spectrum issues to drone defense.… Read More

A growing number of nations have been successfully, but slowly, pushing both the technological and regulatory boundaries of advanced UAS operations.  These national pilot programs have taken the first steps towards beyond visual line of sight operations, package delivery and flight over people.  However, as Earl Lawrence confirmed at the AUVSI/FAA symposium the other day, the key to turning these complex operations into routine operations is a certificated unmanned aircraft.… Read More

One of the great innovations of the Part 107 regulations for unmanned aircraft was the ability to obtain a waiver from many of its more restrictive requirements.  The Part 107 waiver process allows operators the flexibility to fly at night, fly beyond visual line of sight, or operate more than one drone at the same time.

Unfortunately, most waivers have an expiration date of 48 months. … Read More

In the age of COVID-19, there is a renewed interest in the principles of federalism and the limits of federal power, including the power of the Federal Aviation Administration.  More and more, commentators and legislators are arguing that the FAA should not be the sole arbiter of how the national airspace is used, particularly below 400 feet.

This is, of course, a faulty premise upon which to build an argument. … Read More