Tells AIA 'Safety Must Come First'

FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said in a speech to the Aerospace Industries Association that while UAS technology has shown some real promise, it is not "Plug and Play", and that "unmanned aircraft systems are not ready for seamless or routine use yet in civilian airspace."

Babbitt said the fundamental issue is one of "see and avoid."

"The definition of see and avoid for UAS is “the capability of an unmanned aircraft system to remain well clear from and avoid collisions with other airborne traffic and vice-versa,” he said. " With the UAS, you’re talking about a blend of technology that in terms of complexity is head and shoulders above anything we’re doing now. That complexity is what makes it difficult to meld the UAS safely into a mature system like the NAS."

Babbitt used the example of the mid-air collision over the Hudson river this summer. "Now can you even imagine if one of those aircraft had been an unmanned system? With the headline:  “Unmanned Robot plane crash kills 9.” How do you think the Congress would react to that headline — after they confirmed my replacement?"

Babbitt told the AIA audience that change is driven by organizations like theirs that deal with technology, and that technology takes time. The FAA, he said, is charged with promoting air safety, but he also said the agency is looking ahead to a time when UAS would be able to operate with the NAS.  "To assist and be ready for UAS reaching maturity, we have special program offices in our aviation safety and air traffic organization, military and other government organizational liaisons for UAS. We are doing what we can to help get you to market," he said.

"(W)e’re working on an NPRM for small UAS," he continued. "It will define standards for routine commercial operations to meet the needs of a large portion of the UAS community. And while limited, it represents a significant step forward in enabling this community. I think this experience will promote a better understanding of the challenges that you and I face. We’re also working on revising a memorandum of agreement with DoD that addresses specific critical access needs."

Babbitt concluded saying that the time when UAS would operate alongside more conventional aircraft is coming. "Given that unmanned aircraft are becoming the method of choice to conduct mapping, fire detection, scientific missions, weather mapping, volcanic sampling, search and rescues, disaster response and security surveillance, the need for standardized regulations has never been more paramount. We need to develop standards for the future. But we must make sure that we’re all moving in the same direction before it happens. Those safety standards must be the same for everyone, even if no one’s in the cockpit."

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.aia-aerospace.org