The FAA “missed the opportunity to adopt a flexible, technology-neutral approach” as it sought comment on remote ID rules for drones (see 2010070059), said the Small UAV Coalition. “Instead, the FAA is imposing a requirement only to use broadcast technology, which runs counter to an industry synonymous with innovation and progress,” the group said Monday in a news release. “The FAA itself acknowledges the limits of the rule, including that progress on establishing an unmanned traffic management system.” The FAA’s final rule on operating small unmanned aircraft systems over people “rightly authorizes operations at night, subject to equipage and training requirements,” but the risk methodology in the final rule “remains unduly restrictive,” the coalition said.
The FAA is accepting comment for 30 days on proposed certification of 10 unmanned aircraft systems as “special class aircraft,” said the agency. It published Federal Register notices for 3D Robotics, Airobotics, Amazon, Flirtey, Flytrex, Matternet, Percepto, Telegrid, Wingcopter and Zipline electric-powered drones weighing 5 to 89 pounds.
The Department of Transportation's three-year unmanned aircraft systems Integration Pilot Program “successfully concluded” and will be replaced by the new Beyond program, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Friday. “The IPP propelled the American drone industry forward, allowing for unprecedented expansions in testing and operations through innovative private-public partnerships across the country,” she said: “Now, the BEYOND program will build upon this success, tackling the next big challenges facing drone integration.” The program says its top challenge is rules for beyond visual line of sight operations that are “repeatable, scalable and economically viable with specific emphasis on infrastructure inspection, public operations and small package delivery.”
The FBI detected more than 200 unmanned aerial systems flying in restricted national security airspace October 2019-September, DOJ announced Tuesday. The FBI monitored dozens of events, including the Super Bowl, World Series and Rose Bowl and took corrective action, the department said. Officials expect an “increase in enforcement activity in response to the misuse of UAS,” Justice said. The bureau has seized about a dozen UASs violating flight restrictions at events in fiscal 2020.
The Office of Justice Programs can procure and operate drones only in a manner “that promotes public safety, protects individuals’ privacy and civil liberties, and mitigates the risks of cyber intrusion and foreign influence,” DOJ said in a revised policy issued Thursday. It applies to grants for the purchase and operation of foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems. Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen cited risks from “foreign-made UAS and the potential for related data compromise.”
A joint advisory from DOJ, the FAA, the Department of Homeland Security and the FCC on federal laws and regulations on drones (see 2008170056) didn’t break new ground but is "significant," lawyers at Hogan Lovells blogged Friday. “There is a great deal of confusion surrounding how federal laws will apply to this new and growing industry and the advisory confirms the federal government's view on the applicability of federal laws and regulations to [unmanned aircraft systems] detection and mitigation technology,” they said: “The advisory highlights the importance of understanding the legal and regulatory framework for UAS detection and mitigation systems.” The FAA said Friday it plans to evaluate at least 10 technologies and systems that could “detect and mitigate potential safety risks posed by unmanned aircraft.” Evaluations are planned to begin later this year, and will initially occur at the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center adjacent to the Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey.
DOJ, FAA, the Department of Homeland Security and the FCC issued an advisory Monday on federal laws and regulations “that may apply to the use of capabilities to detect and mitigate threats” posed by unmanned aircraft systems. “As the number of drones in our airspace continue to rise, it is unsurprising that the availability of counter-drone technologies has likewise increased,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen: “Because these technologies may be presented for sale without a full discussion of important legal requirements, this Advisory steps forward to provide an outline of the relevant legal landscape.”
The Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Coalition asked the Department of Transportation and FAA to extend the integration pilot program for drones established in a 2017 presidential memorandum. The memo expires Oct. 25, the coalition said Wednesday: It can be extended by the transportation secretary but “we have been informed that the Department has decided not to seek an extension.” Coalition members participating “have gained valuable experience,” the group said. Drone companies used the program to explore delivery of medical supplies (see 2006150056).
Industry and some lawmakers applauded the U.S. loosening export restrictions on drones. The State Department's Friday announcement means it will no longer subject exports of certain unmanned aerial systems to a “strong presumption of denial,” instead imposing a case-by-case review policy on a “subset” of unmanned aircrafts that fly at speeds below 800 kph. The change “acknowledges the evolution” in unmanned aircraft technology, the Aerospace Industry Association said Monday. Northrop Grumman said the new export policy could benefit its “Fire Scout” helicopters, which are unmanned and autonomous. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, urged the administration to continue loosening export restrictions. Risch said “the permanent fix for this issue must be to treat unmanned aircraft the same as other aircraft for the purposes of export.” Committee ranking member Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., called the move “reckless,” saying it may lead to the U.S. exporting unmanned aircraft to human rights abusers. It's “another reckless move by an administration fixated with eliminating the international cooperation that has made the United States and other countries safer for decades,” he said. U.S. export policy for unmanned aircraft was in “dire need of modernization,” the White House said.
The FCC Office of Engineering and Technology approved a waiver request by Leica Geosystems to allow its Ictos radar system on commercial drones (see 1911210063). The system uses multiple radar modules in the 60-64 GHz for hazard detection in flight. OET will permit sale of 400 devices the first year and 800 in subsequent years. “As we will limit the number of Ictos devices per year, the use of the Ictos device will be restricted and contained,” said an order Tuesday in docket 19-350: It won't "increase the potential for harmful interference to other services in the 60-64 GHz band.”