Wayne Garris passed along this important update on the FAA UAV rulemaking process and what you can do to ensure that we amateurs continue to have a safe and lightly regulated place in the sky. (Short form: contact Robert Blair below and express your support for the creation of a new organization to represent amateur and small commercial UAV operators)
"Just giving everyone an update. Scott McKinnie and I had what we believe was a successful trip to DC. We believe that we can achieve an exemption long before the FAA makes rules and that is encouraging. Attached is a summary of the trip, the “Guidelines” for the exemption, FAA certification summary, FAA AC91-57 on model airplanes, FAA UAS rules, an explanation for the exemption, and most importantly a “Call to Action” to create a national organization focused on UAS for Natural Resource Management.
Scott and I opened the door and started the ball rolling, but we need your help now. Please forward any or all of the documents to customers or anyone else that you believe would benefit by creating this organization. If you have further questions please contact me. Thank you for your time and I hope to gain your support.
Sincerely,
Robert Blair
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Robert Blair
PineCreek Precision
15401 Blair Hollow Lane
Kendrick, ID 83537
208-289-4997
precisionag@agristar.net"
He also provide several helpful background documents:
--Call to Action
--FAA Certification Summary
--DC Trip Recap
--THE NEED FOR AN EXEMPTION FROM FAA RULES GOVERNING UAS OPERATIONS
--FAA Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
--"UAVs are Coming" (a 2006 article on the problem of UAVs in the US airspace)
--GUIDELINES FOR UAS EXEMPTION FOR NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
--FAA Advisory Circular 91-57 on Model Airplanes (original 1981 FAA rules that grant exemptions for model aircraft)
Please see our FAQ (linked on the main page). We are indeed about fully autonomous flight here. That said, we also strongly recommend that all participants here do exactly what Patrick says: have pilot in command capability at all times. That means the ability to take over manual control at ANY TIME. Typically that means maintaining line-of-sight and radio contact.
It doesn't mean the plane isn't flying autonomously, just that we can always regain control if need be,
We are not in favor or do we advocate fully autonomous flight! If you have any aids or autopilots installed on your UA’s, you must have PIC (pilot in command capabilities).
Hi Wayne,
The UAS community is very diverse in CONOPS, systems and potential markets.
A one size fits all organization is not likely to meet the specific needs of all facets of that community and It is only natural with something as varied as UAS that there will be a number of organization and sub groups looking after the concerns that tend to be more unique to them.
Where those concerns and interests overlap we should try to pull together, or at least not step on each others toes.
We should also let these folks know that the ARC first meeting date has been moved up to May 27.
Seems, like us, they have too many events scheduled in June already.
What about AUVSI? I have been a member there. Even tho they have lots of University members working on projects, It seemed they were serving to the DOD types?? This video gives an indication of interest.. http://youtube.com/watch?v=Qa4ezSJs59A
Very cool and all, but a long ways from a lego AP..
well success or not one thing is clear the uav community needs someone who can represent the intrists of all uavs and all applications of uavs rcapa is counted out of this as they strickly prohibite any autonomus uavs. this entity needs to represent all uav intrests everything from some guy wtih a slow stick and a camera strapped to it to 100+ lbs fully autonomus uavs.. any entity that says they can represent me has to represent autonomus uavs .
ORDER 1110.150 states (if you haven’t seen it, it’s linked over at the Reporter site)
6. Committee Membership
a. The committee will consist of about 20 members, representing aviation associations, industry operators, manufacturers, employee groups or unions, FAA and other government entities, and other aviation industry participants.
A safe assumption would be that the RCAPA’s recognition is in the aforementioned criteria.
If your objective is to have meetings then you were a complete success. Remember the conference call I was invited to sit in on with you guys before your trip? I didn't go along with your need to have my endorsement and I told you that your effort had no chance.
RCAPA is recognized by the FAA. The question is - recognized as what?
So far I have not seen you make a dent in the FAA nor do they even know what you represent. So far it's just a bogus inflated membership list. If you attend the ARC just what is your position? I have asked this before but so far no answer.
Comments
Please see our FAQ (linked on the main page). We are indeed about fully autonomous flight here. That said, we also strongly recommend that all participants here do exactly what Patrick says: have pilot in command capability at all times. That means the ability to take over manual control at ANY TIME. Typically that means maintaining line-of-sight and radio contact.
It doesn't mean the plane isn't flying autonomously, just that we can always regain control if need be,
Don’t tell me you didn’t nominate me for one of those AUVSI awards…
The UAS community is very diverse in CONOPS, systems and potential markets.
A one size fits all organization is not likely to meet the specific needs of all facets of that community and It is only natural with something as varied as UAS that there will be a number of organization and sub groups looking after the concerns that tend to be more unique to them.
Where those concerns and interests overlap we should try to pull together, or at least not step on each others toes.
Ira Buckley, RCAPA#440
We should also let these folks know that the ARC first meeting date has been moved up to May 27.
Seems, like us, they have too many events scheduled in June already.
Very cool and all, but a long ways from a lego AP..
6. Committee Membership
a. The committee will consist of about 20 members, representing aviation associations, industry operators, manufacturers, employee groups or unions, FAA and other government entities, and other aviation industry participants.
A safe assumption would be that the RCAPA’s recognition is in the aforementioned criteria.
RCAPA is recognized by the FAA. The question is - recognized as what?
So far I have not seen you make a dent in the FAA nor do they even know what you represent. So far it's just a bogus inflated membership list. If you attend the ARC just what is your position? I have asked this before but so far no answer.
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