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Federal Aviation Administration. Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the United States. Presented to: US/Europe Intentional Safety Conference By: David Hempe, Manager, FAA Aircraft Engineering Division, AIR-100 Date: June 8, 2006. What is a UAS?.
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Federal Aviation Administration Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the United States Presented to: US/Europe Intentional Safety Conference By: David Hempe, Manager, FAA Aircraft Engineering Division, AIR-100 Date: June 8, 2006
What is a UAS? • Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) historically called by various terms: • Drone/ROA/RPV/UAV/Model/R-C • Why UAS? • It’s an aircraft, not a vehicle • US plans on issuing certification for a system that includes: • Unmanned Aircraft (UA) • Aircraft Control Station • Command & Control Link/s • Operated or flown by a “pilot” • Ensure “no harm” to other National Airspace Systems customers and public • Mitigation for shortfalls in compiling with regulatory requirements must provide a level of safety equivalent to manned operations
Flying UAS in the NAS • Aircraft owned by the state (Public) – through Certificate of Authorization (COA) process - over 50 COA Projecting this year • Public organizations (Federal, State etc.,) can self-certify that their UAS is airworthy • Experimental airworthiness certification process for UAS owned and operated by industry or privately (Civil) • FAA conducts an assessment of the UAS to determine level of airworthiness and set appropriate limitations/safeguards • No Type Certificated UAS • Working with industry (RTCA SC-203) for the development of industry standards • Reviewing existing guidance/policy • Model” aircraft – Advisory Circular 91-57, June 1981, guidance • Currently no airworthiness standards
UAS Policy AVS Policy conditions and limitations, include: • General limitations and conditions • Definitions • Airworthiness certification • Chase aircraft • Communications • Dropping objects/ hazardous material • Flight above FL180 • Flight below FL18022 • Flight over congested areas • Lost link • Onboard cameras/sensors • Pilot/observer medical standards • Pilot qualifications • Pilot responsibilities • Pilot/observer limitations • Observer qualifications and responsibilities
UAS Certification Efforts • FAA is developing Experimental Airworthiness Certificate policy for UAS • Significant attention being given to avionics and spectrum supporting flight, containment, flight termination, and command and control. • When guidance is complete (FY07), need to create an effective training program to pass on our technical experience to the field. • Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Classification – • Determining the most appropriate approach to classify UAS. • Developing new or modifying existing certification procedures and guidance (e.g. FAA Order 8110.4). Identifying deviations (if any) from existing procedures. • Establishing applicable certification basis – Minimum standards
UAS Certification Efforts • Status of Experimentals • Two currently issued • Three currently being worked • Still have plenty in the queue – many inquiries/requests • Waiting on the applicants to complete their program letters • Status of Certification Criteria Development • Ramping up a Directorate Team to begin to: • Build knowledge base • Review existing FARs • Recommend changes/revisions • Develop certification polices • Have Identified Point Of Contacts – • Seven Team members • First meeting July 10th
First Experimental CertificateIssued August 25, 2005 Ceiling -52,000 ft Endurance - 30+ hr Length - 36 ft Wingspan - 86 ft Weight - 7,000 lb General Atomics Altair
Length 17.9 ft Height 5.7 ft Wingspan 15.2 ft Rotor-span 9.5 ft Take-Off Gross 2250 lbs Max 200+ kts Speed 20,000 ft Altitude Endurance 8 hours Next Certificate Issued December 1, 2005 Bell EagleEye
What Else? • Building a UAS Roadmap • Critical Activity - a “must have” • Lays out the 5 year plan for the integration of UA’s into the National Airspace System • Lays the foundation for FAA’s budgetary formulation • Tells the world where we are headed • “Ideal” would be to line up with Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and International CAAs • Pursuing that discussion • Expected in 4-6 months