Civilian UAVs In NAS Simply A Matter Of Time | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-12.02.24

Airborne-NextGen-12.03.24

Airborne-Unlimited-12.04.24

Airborne Flt Training-12.05.24

Airborne Holiday

Tue, Nov 29, 2011

Civilian UAVs In NAS Simply A Matter Of Time

Integration Into Airspace Is The Last Hurdle

The vice president of civil aviation for the Aerospace Industries Association says that civilian use of UAVs is "going to happen," with the last hurdle being how to integrate the aircraft into the national airspace.

TiaLinx Phoenix 50H File Photo

The FAA plans to propose rules to allow the operation of UAVs in domestic airspace in January, according to an enterprise report in the Los Angeles Times, which indicates that there are some 266 applications on file seeking permission to test the aircraft.

But the overarching concerns about UAVs in the same airspace as piloted aircraft have not changed. Primary among them is the lack of reliable "detect, sense, and avoid" technology the agency says is essential for the prevention of midair collisions. Others have raised privacy concerns, as well as possible use of the aircraft by criminals and terrorists.

But the industry is ready, and aerospace company officials say the potential for good outweighs the possibility of criminal use. There are an estimated 18,000 law enforcement agencies that are seen as the initial customer base for small UAVs, may of which are already under development. Some, like AeroVironment's Qube, would cost departments about the same as a police cruiser ... in the $40,000 neighborhood.

Rotomotion UAV File Photo

Other industries have their eye on UAVs. They are used in Japan for crop spraying, as well as inspection of the nuclear power plant damaged by this year's tsunami. And Russian archaeologists are reportedly flying UAVs equipped with infrared cameras for 3-D modeling of dig sites.

The FAA says the issues it must deal with are safety-related, and go beyond the midair collision potential. Other possibilities include the loss of the communications link between the operator and the drone, and what might happen in the case of fuel exhaustion.

But the industry says the march to the use of UAVs in U.S. airspace is underway, and has an inertia that is unlikely to be stopped. Gretchen West, executive vice president of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, told the LA Times that the industry is poised to jump. "We're all waiting to see what the FAA will do."

FMI: www.faa.gov

Advertisement

More News

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (12.02.24)

Aero Linx: Airborne Public Safety Association (APSA) The Airborne Public Safety Association - APSA - is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational, individual membership organization, foun>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (12.02.24): Marker Beacon

Marker Beacon An electronic navigation facility transmitting a 75 MHz vertical fan or boneshaped radiation pattern. Marker beacons are identified by their modulation frequency and >[...]

NTSB Final Report: Kitfox 2

Airplane Entered An Aerodynamic Stall And Began An Uncommanded Left Turn Analysis: The pilot stated that he was departing at the time of the accident. As the airplane became airbor>[...]

Airborne Affordable Flyers 11.26.24: BushCat's Back!, LODA Update, DRL Miami

Also: Van Celebrates 85th, Trio Pro Pilot Autopilot, Joby on MSFS24, Sonex Transition The BushCat was manufactured in South Africa by SkyReach beginning in 2014, selling its first >[...]

Airborne 11.25.24: No 2025 CF-18 Demos, Privatization--Again?, USAF Silver Star

Also: USAFA Hotel FlightSims, Medevac-King Airs, University of Dubuque, Trump’s Transportation Secretary Pick The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) announced it will stand down>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2024 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC