Special Airworthiness Certificate - Experimental Category (SAC-EC)... is it possible? - Discussions

I am interested in developing a commercial opportunity utilizing an UAV. I understand that the FAA has yet to draft the permanent regulations integrating UAS into the NAS. I am curious as to whether any of you fine folks have any information on how difficult it would be to obtain a Special Airworthiness Certificate as described by the FAA here: http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert/airworthiness_certification/sp_awcert/experiment/sac/

Keep these things in mind:

I would never fly at night
I would never be flying higher than a hobbyist is cleared to fly.
I would always be flying line-of-sight.
These commercial operations would be carried out by a single UAV maintained and operated by a single user.
These commercial operations would be carried out in highly rural areas where crop-dusting etc. are not at all common.

It strains credulity to imagine that such an innocuous use would be rejected outright. Is there any hope for me?

I would appreciate any guidance I can receive, and I am happy to join this community! Thank you.

Ryan

My company, Overwatch, just secured approval to write drone insurance primarily in the USA and Canada but also worldwide. The coverage is underwritten by Lloyd's of London. The insurance is for hull, liability, storage, transit, spare parts, etc. We will also write manufacturers liability for those in the business of manufacturing drones or component parts and payload. We will be at the AUVSI show in Washington in August in booth 2555. We are also lecturing and exhibiting at the Canadian Unmanned Systems show in Vancouver in November. Our coverage is written specifically for Unmanned Systems. We have seen some try to use a basic normal private aviation policy and heavily modify it to cover a UAV. Our coverage is strictly for a UAV/UAS being used for commercial, educational, research, law enforcement, search and rescue, etc. We are aware of the FAA limitations on commercial, for profit, drone use however we assume that policy holders will follow the rules and regulations as enforced. We are not an enforcement agency but rather a risk management and insurance solution provider for the UAV/UAS community. You can find us on the web at www.avalonrisk.com/overwatch.html or call us in Houston, TX at 713-343-0889. Good luck in your endeavors!

Replies

Grant Goldsmith July 15, 2013 at 3:22pm

My company, Overwatch, just secured approval to write drone insurance primarily in the USA and Canada but also worldwide. The coverage is underwritten by Lloyd's of London. The insurance is for hull, liability, storage, transit, spare parts, etc. We will also write manufacturers liability for those in the business of manufacturing drones or component parts and payload. We will be at the AUVSI show in Washington in August in booth 2555. We are also lecturing and exhibiting at the Canadian Unmanned Systems show in Vancouver in November. Our coverage is written specifically for Unmanned Systems. We have seen some try to use a basic normal private aviation policy and heavily modify it to cover a UAV. Our coverage is strictly for a UAV/UAS being used for commercial, educational, research, law enforcement, search and rescue, etc. We are aware of the FAA limitations on commercial, for profit, drone use however we assume that policy holders will follow the rules and regulations as enforced. We are not an enforcement agency but rather a risk management and insurance solution provider for the UAV/UAS community. You can find us on the web at www.avalonrisk.com/overwatch.html or call us in Houston, TX at 713-343-0889. Good luck in your endeavors!

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