Says Improved Sensors May Help Situation A Little

Pilots in the South have had to deal with them for over a year... now, pilots flying near the northern US border may have to share airspace with unmanned drones, too. Representatives with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, however, tell ANN the 409,000-member-strong organization is continuing its efforts to ensure general aviation pilots aren't put at risk by the unmanned aircraft, or needlessly inconvenienced.

As Aero-News reported Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) could start patrolling a section of the US-Canada border by this fall, launching from Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota.

"While we know that the DHS eventually intends to deploy Predators along the northern border, our talks with the FAA this week revealed that there is no official timetable for starting the flights, nor has Homeland Security obtained a certificate of authorization from the FAA allowing their UAVs to fly northern patrols," said Melissa Rudinger, AOPA vice president of regulatory affairs.

"And before they do fly, we'll work with the FAA to make sure that safety is maintained."

On the subject of safety -- as well as inconvenience to pilots -- there may actually be some good news when it comes to UAVs flying along the Canadian border.

"When CBP replaced the Predator that was lost while patroling the US-Mexican border last year, they obtained a version with a better sensor package, and have been able to operate above FL180 in positive control airspace, with fairly short TFRs imposed only long enough for the UAV to transition from the ground to Class A and back again," AOPA told ANN this week. "Until UAVs can demonstrate an equivalent level of safety -- including sense and avoid capabilities -- as manned aircraft, that seems to be a much better solution than all night, every night TFRs."

Rudinger says there is another issue, though. Along the Mexico border, Predators are launched and recovered through existing special-use airspace -- meaning GA pilots typically aren't inconvenienced, except when told to stay out of the operations area. There are no such restricted or prohibited areas near Grand Forks, however... nor does AOPA want the government to add any.

"AOPA would oppose any new special-use airspace created solely for UAV border patrols," said Rudinger.

A Customs and Border Protection spokesman told AOPA late Tuesday the northern patrol was a pilot program mandated by Congress, and only one Predator UAV will be flying to start. Specific details -- including a timetable, and airspace requirements -- have yet to be established.

The agency would like to start flying patrols by September.

FMI: www.cbp.gov, www.aopa.org