Will Review And Potentially Approve Three Task Groups

At its second meeting on January 31, 2017 in Reno, NV, the Drone Advisory Committee (DAC) will continue to help the Federal Aviation Administration prioritize its efforts to integrate unmanned aircraft systems – or drones – into the national airspace. FAA Administrator Michael Huerta announced the creation of the DAC as a federal advisory committee in May 2016, and the DAC first met in September 2016.

DAC members represent a wide array of stakeholders, including unmanned aircraft manufacturers and operators, traditional aviation groups, labor organizations, radio and navigation equipment manufacturers, airport operators and state and local officials.

The DAC’s main objective during its second meeting will be to review and potentially approve three task groups. The first task group will review issues related to the roles and responsibilities of federal, state, and local governments in regulating and enforcing drone laws. Many state and local governments have begun to enact a variety of laws about operating UAS in low-altitude navigable airspace.

The second task group will consider technological and regulatory mechanisms that would allow drone operators to gain access to the airspace beyond what the agency currently permits under the Small UAS Rule (commonly known as Part 107). The DAC will also discuss the formation of a third task group, which will consider ways to fund the expanded provision of services needed to support UAS integration.

(Source: FAA news release)

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.rtca.org/content.asp?pl=216&contentid=216