Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) has introduced legislation to make “reckless” drone flights near restricted airspace a crime. According to a report in The Hill, the bill, known as the SAFE DRONE Act, would make operating a drone within two miles of a restricted airspace a misdemeanor offense. Boxer said the measure would reduce the number […]
UAS
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 […]
Papal visit brings No Drone Zones
Along with the Pope’s visit to Washington, D.C., New York and Philadelphia this week comes No Drone Zones. “If you plan to attend any of the Papal visit events, please leave your drone at home,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “Anyone flying a drone within the designated restricted areas may be subject to civil and […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
FAA names new unmanned aircraft executives
The FAA has selected Marke “Hoot” Gibson and Earl Lawrence for two executive-level positions that will guide the agency’s approach to integration of remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) — also known as drones and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) — into U.S. airspace. Gibson will become the Senior Advisor on UAS Integration, a position established to focus […]