FAA Officials Say Remote ID Rules Coming; More Airport Use May Be OK
FAA is working on drone issues, agency officials told an event the regulator co-sponsored. The annual unmanned aircraft system event was postponed from June and began virtually Wednesday, with speakers also saying UASs are being used in the pandemic. The…
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main questions Office of UAS Integration Executive Director Jay Merkle gets are on remote identification, subject of a December NPRM. “We received over 53,000 comments,” he said: “We’re on track to deliver remote identification and operations over people at the end of this year.” ID standards “will increase the safety and security of the airspace” by allowing authorities to identify and track drones, laying groundwork for future rules, said President Brian Wynne of event co-sponsor Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. Teri Bristol, FAA chief operating officer-air traffic control, said the agency is developing a policy allowing more use at airports. "An airport is an especially complex arena with a lot of moving parts," she said. FedEx found it can inspect its aircraft in 20 minutes using a drone, compared with three hours without, she said. The expansion of drones “is a worldwide phenomenon,” said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. “No one here can work in a vacuum when it comes to how we set the parameters that will enable the global industry to prosper, yet remain safe,” he said. “We’ve got to develop our infrastructure in harmony” for seamless operations across borders, he said. The International Civil Aviation Organization understands the importance of drones, said Chris Rocheleau, executive director, FAA Office of International Affairs. “Everyone has gotten onboard,” he said. “ICAO is definitely showing some leadership.” Other drone announcements also were made Wednesday; see the next issue of this publication.