UASs as gadgets

UASs as gadgets

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38183892_mOnly recently UASs were considered military vehicles only, but things are changing and civilian companies are putting pressure on authorities to offer speeded up licensing processes for these “cute” gadgets. As a result the FAA – Federal Aviation Administration, has established an interim policy to speed up airspace authorizations for certain commercial unmanned aircraft (UAS).

The new policy helps bridge the gap between the previous bureaucratic process, which evaluated every UAS operation individually, and the way licensing will be handled after the agency publishes a final version of the proposed Small UAS Rule.

According to Government Security News , under the new policy, the FAA will grant a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) for flights at or below 200 feet to any UAS operator, for aircraft that weigh less than 55 pounds, operate during daytime Visual Flight Rules (VFR) conditions, operate within visual line of sight (VLOS) of the pilots, and stay certain distances away from airports or heliports. The new policy also specifies the distances required from different categories of airfields.

Whereas before the new regulations an operator had to apply for and receive a permit for a specific block of airspace, a process that could take up to 60 days, the “blanket” permission to fly at or below 200 feet allows you to fly your UAS anywhere in the country, except in restricted airspace or in areas such as major cities, where flight is forbidden.

The agency expects the new policy will allow companies and individuals who want to use UASs within these limitations to be able to start flying much quicker than before.