WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta have called for a task force to develop recommendations for a registration process for Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), also known as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or drones. The task force will be composed of 25 to 30 representatives from the RPA and manned aviation […]
drones
Drone enthusiasts soar at flying competition
RENO, Nevada – Attendees at this year’s National Championship Air Races at Reno took to the skies as part of the Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS) Challenge held Sept. 16-20. The challenge, which featured an obstacle and speed course for the unmanned flying vehicles commonly referred to as drones, was held at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s […]
Stop the drone panic
The constant drumbeat of stories about close encounters between airplanes and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) can be described as nothing short of a panic, with pilots and non-pilots alike convinced that a drone disaster is looming, says blogger John Zimmerman of the Air Facts Journal. “And yet, I am unable to find a single verified […]
UAS Alliance research takes off
STARKVILLE, Miss. — Officials with the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE), led by Mississippi State University, met with FAA officials this week, with the focus on the initial challenges the alliance’s researchers are tackling to safely integrate unmanned aerial systems — also known as remotely piloted aircraft or drones — into the […]
States pass own laws governing drones
Without federal rules governing remotely piloted aircraft — also known as drones and unmanned aerial systems — states are blazing their own (potentially conflicting) paths, according to a report in the National Journal. Three years after it was tasked with developing a set of rules for commercial drone operators, the FAA still has not finalized the regulations, instead […]
Embry-Riddle to test drone skills at Reno Air Races
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will host the second annual small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS) Challenge at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nev., Sept. 16-20.The 2015 challenge, which is sponsored by the University of Nevada, Reno’s Nevada Advanced Autonomous Systems Innovation Center in partnership with NASA, will be composed of two separate competitions: An “Open Class” […]
FAA releases pilot drone reports
The FAA has released a new list of pilot, air traffic and citizen reports of possible encounters with remotely piloted aircraft, also known as drones and unmanned aircraft (UAS). The reports cover Nov. 13, 2014, through Aug. 20, 2015. Because pilot reports of unmanned aircraft have increased dramatically over the past year, FAA officials said […]
Threats to the growth of the drone industry
Cyber-attacks, reckless pilots and privacy breaches are fundamental threats to the drone industry, warns a new report published by Lloyd’s, the specialist insurance and reinsurance market.Global expenditures on remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) — also known as drones and unmanned aerial systems — is expected to double to $91 billion in the next 10 years, according to the […]
Video: Biggest Little Airshow in Hawaii honors Vietnam vets
HONOLULU — The Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor’s Remote-Control Biggest Little Airshow in Hawaii was back for its eighth year on Ford Island at Pearl Harbor Aug. 15-16 with a special “Welcome Home” tribute to Vietnam Veterans. Marking the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, the theme of the Biggest Little Airshow was “Honoring Our Vietnam Veterans” […]