By Dr. Charles Russo, American Military University and Anthony Galante, Unmanned Safety Institute
This January, a personal unmanned aerial system (UAS) crashed on to the White House lawn. While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) intended to bring forward new regulations for the public and commercial use of UAS in 2015, this incident seems to have accelerated the timetable.
On February 15, the FAA released proposed rule changes. The key components of the new proposed rules include safety and reasonableness for the operators, the community, and the UAS manufacturers.
Currently, to fly any UAS system, permission from the FAA can be granted after the public safety agency applies for a certificate of authorization (COA). The operator of the UAS is required to possess the flight hours or medical rating of a private pilot’s license. These proposed changes, if approved, should be welcomed by public safety agencies seeking to operate these devices.
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