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Commercial Use by 2015?

Posted by Rory Paul on February 19, 2011 at 3:00pm

Well we have been waiting for some movement for the past few years and there may be some developments...

There is legislation working through the House of Representatives which as reported by sUAS News allow for commercial UAV /sUAS use of the NAS by 2015. Within this legislation there is however a section (323) which if it remains in the language would require that the FAA to determine if "certain" UAV/sUAS systems could be used in the NAS without having to receive a COA etc. They would it appear require some form of policy / certification / pilot training.

There are no guarantees that this legislation will be adopted without changes or if it will make it into law however it could allow the FAA to establish a more progressive policy to small sUAS in a very short time frame. So let's all remain positive that cool heads and pragmatic thinking will hold the day (I am more positive than I was when I woke up this morning, thanks Gary Mortimer).

commercial, uav, legislation, suas, use

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Comments

Euan Ramsay July 20, 2014 at 10:42am

Pragmatic thinking? Now that's funny.
Duane Brocious February 21, 2011 at 4:15pm

If this bill is supposed to save money then why are they throwing away all the FAA work (and money) on an NPRM that has to be finished and submitted to the Secretary of Trans, by March 3rd?

Me thinks something rotten in Oklahoma be.
ArileyS February 21, 2011 at 3:22pm

I wouldn't get too excited. This same legislation was proposed TWO YEARS AGO and, as I recall, at that time was to open up the airspace by 2013. Here's a blog post from people who got their hopes up at the time:

http://mavericuav.blogspot.com/2009/02/go-congress-go.html

They've been running the FAA on "extensions" for awhile now, so there's no real reason why they can't continue to do so.
Duane Brocious February 19, 2011 at 9:02pm

The FAA makes it a circle ____ and Congress makes it a cluster ___.

Now I know why the USA was afraid of the USSR. Too many morons running things here.

Make AC 91-57 mandatory for commercial and recreational sUAS and you would solve 80% of the "problem". Then add simple regs for anything over 55 pounds and over 400' Alt.
T3

Rory Paul February 19, 2011 at 8:02pm

@Kamu

Yes I may have been delusional at the time.

@Duane

I think that came out of petty cash.. ; )
Duane Brocious February 19, 2011 at 7:00pm

Didn't Inhofe slip in an attatchment to allow the AMA to regulate commercial sUAs as well.

You did send the check right?
Russkel February 19, 2011 at 5:52pm

So let's all remain positive that cool heads and pragamtic thinking will hold the day

Good one.