65 UAS Regulatory and Legal Developments

We review the Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Regulatory and Legal Developments panel discussion at the NBAA 2014 conference. NBAA2014 – BUSINESS AVIATION CONVENTION & EXHIBITION At the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Florida on October 21, 2014, a panel discussion was held titled, “Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Regulatory and Legal Developments.” The Panel was moderated by Marc Warren of Crowell & Moring LLP . Panel members were: Dean Griffith, FAA ; Mario Mairena, AUVSI ; Dave Hamrick, MITRE Corporation; and Ted Wierzbanowiski, ASTM standards for sUAS. In this episode, we bring you selected clips from the first half of the panel discussion. Topics include: Some early history of FAA and ASTM activity. The process for providing the FAA with sUAS recommendations. The NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking) for sUAS that the FAA intends to issue by the end of 2014. RF spectrum allocation The FAA view of sUAS as aircraft and the plan they have. Challenges faced by the FAA to meet the Congressional mandates. Next steps the FAA intends to take. The COAs issued by the FAA. Recreational (hobbyist) vs. commercial use. How UAS technology might flow down to manned aviation, particularly General Aviation. Other topics discussed by the panel that we’ll cover in the future:: If sUAS flyers should have a pilot’s license. Educating UAS pilots. Exemptions under Section 333 as a bridging authority. Social risks with UAS, like privacy. States and local governments enacting anti-UAS laws. Is US competitiveness suffering? What does the future of UAS (of all sizes) look like? Are unmanned commercial passenger or cargo flights in the future? Where did the 55 pound line come from? Credit We are grateful to Carl Valeri who attended the Convention and recorded the panel discussion for us. Find Carl at the Aviation Careers podcast and the Stuck Mic AvCast .