Guidelines to UAS Operations

Prior to August 29, 2016, where the latest FAA regulations in regard to UAS operation went into effect, the FAA document number N 8900.227 entitled “National policy: The Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Operational Approval” is used to describe the regulation surrounding the UAS operation in the United States. The policy carefully explains all aspects of UAS operation, from the airworthiness of the aircraft to the operator training and risk mitigation. Getting familiar with these regulations was necessary for anyone who was planning to own or operate a UAS. The document was temporarily issued until the future regulations that proposed in the FAA roadmap replaces what the above document mandated. It took the FAA few years to amend its regulations to allow the legal operation of small unmanned aircraft systems in the National Airspace System. The new rules were published in the Federal Register (Vol. 81 Number 124 Part II) on June 28, 2016 and it went into effect on August 29, 2016. The new rules were added as a new part 107 to Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) to allow for routine civil operation of small UAS in the NAS and to provide safety rules for those operations. The new rules, which are publicly known as PART 107, become the latest official policy to govern the commercial operation of small UAS in the National Airspace System (NAS). The article "What You Need to Know to Legally Operate Your Drone Under New FAA Regulation" briefly describes the new rules, and it is a good read for anyone that is trying to understand PART 107.

Prior to the issuing of PART 107, the FAA achieved one of its most important milestones, which is the selection of the 6 sites for the "UAS Test Site Program." The 6 sites selection represented the first serious step by the FAA toward the integration of the UAS into the NAS. Among tens of applicants, the FAA On December 30, 2013 announced the selection of the following 6 agencies to operate UAS test sites as it is quoted below:

1. University of Alaska. The University of Alaska proposal contained a diverse set of test site range locations in seven climatic zones, as well as geographic diversity with test site range locations in Hawaii and Oregon. The research plan includes the development of a set of standards for unmanned aircraft categories, state monitoring and navigation. Alaska also plans to work on safety standards for UAS operations.
2. State of Nevada. Nevada’s project objectives concentrate on UAS standards and operations, as well as operator standards and certification requirements. The applicant’s research will also include a concentrated look at how air traffic control procedures will evolve with the introduction of UAS into the civil environment and how these aircraft will be integrated with NextGen. Nevada’s selection contributes to geographic and climatic diversity.
3. New York’s Griffiss International Airport. Griffiss International plans to work on developing test and evaluation as well as verification and validation processes under FAA safety oversight. The applicant also plans to focus its research on sense and avoid capabilities for UAS, and its sites will aid in researching the complexities of integrating UAS into the congested, northeast airspace.
4. North Dakota Department of Commerce. North Dakota plans to develop UAS airworthiness essential data and validate high reliability link technology. This applicant will also conduct human factors research. North Dakota’s application was the only one to offer a test range in the Temperate (continental) climate zone and included a variety of different airspace, which will benefit multiple users.
5. Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi. Texas A&M plans to develop system safety requirements for UAS vehicles and operations, with a goal of protocols and procedures for airworthiness testing. The selection of Texas A&M contributes to geographic and climactic diversity.
6. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). Virginia Tech plans to conduct UAS failure mode testing and identify and evaluate operational and technical risks areas. This proposal includes test site range locations in both Virginia and New Jersey.

In totality, these six test applications achieve cross-country geographic and climatic diversity and help the FAA meet its UAS research goals of System Safety & Data Gathering, Aircraft Certification, Command & Control Link Issues, Control Station Layout & Certification, Ground & Airborne Sense & Avoid, and Environmental Impacts.

Each test site operator manages the use and scheduling of the test site in a way that it gives access to parties interested in using the site. The FAA’s role is to ensure that each operator sets up a safe testing environment and to provide oversight that ensures each site operates under strict safety standards.