New FAA policy note may usher in new regulatory environment for small UAVs
16 Feb 2007
Washington DC, USA: Responding to increasing pressure from small unmanned air vehicles (UAV) manufacturers and law enforcement agencies, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has now indicated that it may consider the creation of a new category of regulations that would allow small UAVs to operate under within visual line of sight rules. This concession will pave the way for easier airspace access for commercial users.
In a policy notice, issued 13 February, which reiterates its prohibition on the use of its AC 91-57 model aeroplane regulations as the basis of small UAV operations in US airspace, the regulator says that a review has been established to assess the feasibility of the new category.
According to the notice, the proposed new category would cover "unmanned 'vehicles' that may be defined by the operator's visual line of sight and are also small and slow enough to adequately mitigate hazards to other aircraft and persons on the ground."
Such a category "may be a new flight authorization instrument similar to AC 91-57, but focused on operations which do not qualify as sport and recreation, but also may not require a certificate of airworthiness.
"They will, however, require compliance with applicable FAA regulations and guidance developed for this category."
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