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FAA Makes Progress With Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration By Mike Mitchell |
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May 20, 2012 - For more than five decades, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has compiled a proven track record of introducing new technology and aircraft safely into the National Airspace System (NAS). Most recently, the agency has been working to ensure the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the NAS. The FAA's sole mission and authority as it focuses on the integration of unmanned aircraft systems is safety. Already, the agency has achieved the first unmanned aircraft systems milestone included in the 2012 FAA reauthorization, streamlining the process for public agencies to safely fly UAS in the nation's airspace. |
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Federal, state and local government entities must obtain an FAA
Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) before flying UAS
in the NAS. Now, under the FAA Reauthorization bill, the agency
must to find a way to expedite that COA process within 90 days
of enactment, which is May 14, 2012.
The FAA has been working with its government partners to
streamline COA procedures as part of the effort to ensure UAS
are safely integrated into the NAS. In 2009, the FAA, NASA and
the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security formed a UAS
Executive Committee, or "ExCom" to address UAS integration
issues. The ExCom established a working group that developed
suggestions to expedite the COA process and increase
transparency into those activities.
The FAA implemented recommendations, including establishing
metrics for tracking COAs throughout the process and improving
the on-time rate for granting an authorization.
Starting on March 29, 2012 the FAA introduced another
improvement by changing the length of authorization from the
current 12-month period to 24 months. If the FAA disapproves a
COA, the agency quickly addresses questions from the applicant
and tries to provide alternative solutions that will lead to
approval. |