The FAA has entered into a Pathfinder agreement with CACI International to evaluate how the company’s technology can help detect Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) in the vicinity of airports. In testimony recently given before the House Aviation Subcommittee, FAA Deputy Administrator Mike Whitaker said that flying an unmanned aircraft near a busy airfield poses an unacceptable […]
RPA
Biologists use drones in wildlife study
In a part of Manitoba, Canada, so remote you have to fly in by helicopter, a research team led by the University of North Dakota and the American Museum of Natural History spent the summer of 2015 in the polar bear capital of the world deploying the latest tool – Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) — in a […]
RPA focus of Congressional hearing Wednesday
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The House Subcommittee on Aviation, chaired by U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), will hold a hearing Wednesday on issues related to remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) safety. The hearing will be streamed live online. The FAA first authorized civil RPA operations in U.S. airspace in 1990. Recent and rapid advancements in technology have made RPA more accessible […]
Safety training for small RPA flyers now available
Reports of remotely piloted aircraft — also called unmanned aerial vehicles or drones — near airports and public gatherings are raising concerns. That has led to a new online course in small RPA safety, offered with a special discount for General Aviation News readers. “Safe and responsible sharing of the skies is what our training […]
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 […]
Want to know the latest about drones?
Remotely piloted aircraft — also known as drones and unmanned aerial systems — seem to be everywhere these days, but keeping up with the regulatory environment is a challenge. The forces behind BuyTheBestDrone.com want to help by providing a continuously updated post on the FAA’s small RPA policy. The post, which was last updated in August, […]
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 beta version of B4UFLY app
The FAA has released the beta version of a new smartphone application called “B4UFLY” for testing by up to 1,000 users of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), also known as drones and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The B4UFLY app, aimed primarily at model aircraft enthusiasts, is designed to give users information about restrictions or requirements in […]
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 […]