The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has ruled the FAA’s drone registry is unlawful. The ruling was handed down Friday, May 19, 2017. As of March 2017, more than 770,000 operators had registered with the FAA. Nearly all paid a $5 fee. On Dec. 24, 2015, Maryland-based lawyer and model aircraft hobbyist […]
drones
As drone sales soar, majority of reports remain simple sightings
A new analysis released by the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) of the 1,270 new unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) sightings reported by the FAA earlier this year found that the vast majority of these sightings are just that — sightings. When releasing the latest data, the FAA specifically stated that no collision between civilian aircraft and a civilian drone […]
Georgia Tech wins first Collegiate Drone Racing Championship
Georgia Tech won the first-ever Collegiate Drone Racing National Championship hosted by Purdue University on April 15, 2017, scoring more than $15,000 worth of equipment and prizes. Gusty winds and a winding track were no match for the 48 pilots and their homemade drones. The races went off without a hitch, despite challenging 19-20 mph winds, according […]
FAA restricts drone operations over some military bases
The FAA has restricted drone operations over 133 military bases. Agency officials say they are using the FAA’s existing authority under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) §99.7 – “Special Security Instructions” – to address national security concerns about unauthorized drone operations over those military facilities. This is the first time the agency […]
Drone STEM curriculum released for high schools and colleges
The Unmanned Safety Institute, a provider of career and technical education (CTE) curriculum and industry certifications to students interested in being professional remote pilots, has launched a workforce development initiative in conjunction with high schools and colleges throughout the United States. The program provides teacher credentialing and all course materials, including a 400-page academic textbook, to secondary […]
Report: Small businesses get most drone waivers
The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) has released a report that finds nearly 90% of the waivers granted by the FAA under Part 107 went to small businesses. According to the report, most of the waivers allow businesses to operate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at night, which is not permitted under the current rule. […]
AOPA welcomes drone pilots
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) has launched a new line of membership options for drone pilots. Opening up the association to drone pilots is “a key part of an ongoing effort to unite manned and unmanned pilots for the common purpose of safe integration of all users,” AOPA officials said. AOPA has already been […]
Registration for 2017 FAA UAS Symposium goes live
Registration is underway for the 2017 UAS Symposium scheduled to take place at the Hyatt Regency in Reston, Virginia, from March 27 to 29, co-sponsored by the FAA and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI). The event will bring together representatives from government, industry and academia to discuss topics of interest to the […]
Beyond Line-of-Sight UAS Detect-and-Avoid flight testing wraps up
OKLAHOMA CITY – Vigilant Aerospace has completed beyond line-of-sight flight testing of its new FlightHorizon detect-and-avoid collision avoidance system for unmanned aircraft at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. The tests demonstrated the system’s ability to provide beyond line-of-sight flight safety for both small and mid-sized unmanned aircraft to help comply with FAA […]