Here's an update to the PineCreek petition to the FAA to allow small UAVs for natural resources management. It was denied. Excerpt from the letter follows:
Mr. Robert Blair
CEO
PineCreek Precision
15401 Blair Hollow Lane
Kendrick, ID 83537
Dear Mr. Blair:
In your May 2, 2008, letter you petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to amend part 91 of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) to allow the use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) for Natural Resource Management.
The FAA already has an activity underway that we believe will address your concerns. The FAA has established an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) for small UASs. The ARC is tasked to develop a proposal for the use and operation of small UASs in the National Airspace System. We anticipate the ARC’s recommendations within a year, and will consider those recommendations as the basis for potential future rulemaking activity. The committee will define generic requirements for the operation, maintenance, and certification of small UASs, along with certification of the crewmembers operating and maintaining them.
For the reason above, we hereby deny your petition for rulemaking in accordance with 14 CFR § 11.73.
Accordingly, Docket No. FAA-2008-0717 is being closed.
A request from Mr. Blair on Blair Hollow Lane in IDAHO probably isn't going to get approved. Now a call from from Mr. Board Of Directors at Lockheed Martin Lane in Calif* probably would get more mileage.
The problem appears to be the very broad scope of the committee. They have to consider all aspects of UAS use. From small systems like ours all the way up to military grade systems and how they are going to fit into the NAS.
I suppose it would be too much to ask for them to get the easy stuff like anything under 30lbs done first?....
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I suppose it would be too much to ask for them to get the easy stuff like anything under 30lbs done first?....