Episode Details

Initiatives announced by the U.S. Government and private sector that advance the integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems into the National Airspace System. Also, a 2.5 ounce ADS-B solution, drones that obstruct fighting wildfires, and drones that help fight wildfires.

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Workshop on Drones and the Future of Aviation

White House Announces New UAS Commitments Made Across the Board

At the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Workshop on Drones and  the Future of Aviation, many steps were announced that advance the integration of UAS into the National Airspace System:

• The National Science Foundation will receive $35 million to research how UAS can be deployed for applications like infrastructure inspections, disaster response, agricultural, and studying severe storms
• The U.S. Department of the Interior will use UAS in search-and-rescue operations and to augment manned aircraft operations.
• UAS industry associations committed to implement educational programs that address privacy best practices.
• The FAA will charter an Unmanned Aircraft Safety Team (UAST) similar to the existing Commercial Aviation Safety Team. Government and industry stakeholders will “analyze safety data and develop non-regulatory interventions to mitigate potential causes of accidents involving unmanned aircraft.” See FAA Announces Drone Advisory Committee.
• By winter 2017, the FAA will propose rules for operating sUAS over people, and ask for public comment.
• NASA will conduct research on detect-and-avoid and command-and-control technologies that lead to standards.
• NASA and the FAA will launch a data exchange working group under the UAS Traffic Management (UTM) research team to develop common a data format for sharing information between UAS operators and UTM users.
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will begin collecting gravity measurements with RPVs that improve surface elevation measurements over the United States. NOAA will also investigate how to add UAS observing capabilities to the NOAA fleet of ships.
• The Department of the Interior (DOI) will share near-real-time fire location information with the public by July 2017. By December 2017, the DOI will augment manned aircraft missions by developing payloads that can be flown by UAS. By October 2018, the DOI will develop and maintain a training program for the use of UAS in Search and Rescue (SAR).
• The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General will publish new findings and analysis of public opinion on drone deliveries.

In the private sector:

• Zipline International will demonstrate using UAVs to deliver medical supplies in hard-to-reach areas.
• Flirtey will focus on humanitarian applications for drone delivery technology.
• The Commercial Drone Alliance will lead an effort to educate the American public on the integration of UAS into the National Airspace System.
• Sinclair Broadcast Group, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), and the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), will develop and broadcast drone safety