Gary Mortimer at sUAS News spotted this excellent post from the Center for Democracy and Technology that gives the timeline for the FAA rulemaking process on integrating commercial UAVs into the national airspace. Here's the part for non-government drones:
Rules for Non-Government Drones
Nov. 10, 2012: Development of a comprehensive plan
The Secretary must develop a “comprehensive plan” to integrate non-government drones into the national airspace system by Sep. 30, 2015. The plan is required to contain several elements, including recommendations on acceptable standards for operation, certification, and licensing of non-government drones. The recommendations in this plan will influence subsequent rulemakings. Sec. 332(a)(1)-(4).Aug. 12, 2012: Early integration of "safe" drones
The Secretary must determine if certain types of drones (government and non-government) can operate in the national airspace before completion of the comprehensive plan, rulemakings, or guidance required elsewhere in P.L.112-95. The Secretary must base this determination on whether the drone can perform without hazard to the public or national security. The Secretary must develop rules to integrate these drones into the national airspace, though P.L.112-95 gives no deadline for these rules. Sec. 333(a)-(b).Feb. 14, 2013: Deadline for the comprehensive plan
The Secretary must submit the final version of the comprehensive plan to Congress. Sec. 332(a)(4). The Secretary must also approve and publish a 5-year roadmap - to be updated annually - for phasing non-government drones into the national airspace. Sec. 332(a)(5).Aug. 14, 2014: Final rule for non-government drones
The Secretary must publish a final rule that will allow small non-government drones to operate in the national airspace system. Sec. 332(b)(1).Aug. 14, 2014: Proposed rule to implement the comprehensive plan
The Secretary must issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to implement the recommendations of the comprehensive plan. Sec. 332(b)(2).Sep. 30, 2015: Integration of non-government drones
This is the target deadline for the completed implementation of the comprehensive plan to integrate non-government drones into the national airspace. Sec. 332(a)(3).Dec. 14, 2015: Final rule to implement the comprehensive plan
The Secretary must issue the final rule to implement the comprehensive plan. Sec. 332(b)(2).
Comments
It's gone mainstream, but a well worded petition on Change.org might get the ball rolling. If it can get 90,000+ signatures for a land use issue in my backyard, it can probably further this cause. Wish I knew enough about the community's needs/desires to volunteer to wordsmith... If only we had the editor of a major publication handy :-) ~jake
The language in the bill had some poison pills for us. "If it's safe" is a loaded question. As far as the community based thing goes we need 20,000 people to send in letters now. We as a group are unrepresented and UAS ARC 2 and nobody seems to understand the gravity of that.
Well... IMHO you should be talking to RCAPA they did after all have a seat at ARC 1.0 that must count for something.
They also put forward an ops manual that the FAA looked at, another thing a new community based organisation would have to do.
However it happens people should be ready for the NPRM.
Is diydrones.com organizing a petition, comment, or gathering of signatures from the 20,000+ people here?
Or is diydrones not the right place for such action, should we all be talking to RCAPA?
And to think it only took half that time to build the ' Empire State Building ' and possibly with less people!
The Secretary has tough job ahead(in this regard IMHO) I am sure our sympathies are with him/her but more then that he/she has our support. Our(my) request is to help/support him/her as required. The only way I see it forward is with general census...
Morli