COMMERCIAL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS INTEGRATION PLAN

If the House FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007 passes, it looks like we
can expect to be flying with robot aircraft soon (September 30, 2012
at the latest):



http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/...uL55T:e117021:
H.R.2881
FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subtitle B--Unmanned Aircraft Systems

SEC. 321. COMMERCIAL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS INTEGRATION PLAN.

(a) Integration Plan-

(1) COMPREHENSIVE PLAN- Not later than 9 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with
representatives of the aviation industry, shall develop a
comprehensive plan to safely integrate commercial unmanned
aircraft systems into the national airspace system.

(2) MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS- In developing the plan under paragraph
(1), the Secretary shall, at a minimum--

(A) review technologies and research that will assist in
facilitating the safe integration of commercial unmanned aircraft
systems into the national airspace system;

(B) provide recommendations for the rulemaking to be conducted
under subsection (b) to--

(i) define the acceptable standards for operations and
certification of commercial unmanned aircraft systems;

(ii) ensure that any commercial unmanned aircraft system includes
a detect, sense, and avoid capability; and

(iii) develop standards and requirements for the operator or
programmer of a commercial unmanned aircraft system, including
standards and requirements for registration and licensing;

(C) recommend how best to enhance the technologies and subsystems
necessary to effect the safe and routine operations of commercial
unmanned aircraft systems in the national airspace system; and

(D) recommend how a phased-in approach to the integration of
commercial unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace
system can best be achieved and a timeline upon which such a
phase-in shall occur.

(3) DEADLINE- The plan to be developed under paragraph (1) shall
provide for the safe integration of commercial unmanned aircraft
systems into the national airspace system as soon as possible, but
not later than September 30, 2012.

(4) REPORT TO CONGRESS- Not later than one year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate a copy of the plan developed under
paragraph (1).

(b) Rulemaking- Not later than 18 months after the date on which
the integration plan is submitted to Congress under subsection
(a)(4), the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration
shall publish in the Federal Register a notice of proposed
rulemaking to implement the recommendations of the integration
plan.

(c) Authorization- There are authorized to be appropriated such
sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.

SEC. 322. SPECIAL RULES FOR CERTAIN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.

(a) In General- Notwithstanding the requirements of sections 321
and 323, and not later than 6 months after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall determine if certain unmanned
aircraft systems may operate safely in the national airspace
system before completion of the plan and rulemaking required by
section 321 or the guidance required by section 323.

(b) Assessment of Unmanned Aircraft Systems- In making the
determination under subsection (a), the Secretary shall determine,
at a minimum--

(1) which types of unmanned aircraft systems, if any, as a result
of their size, weight, speed, operational capability, proximity to
airports and population areas, and operation within visual
line-of-sight do not create a hazard to users of the national
airspace system or the public or pose a threat to national
security; and

(2) whether a certificate of authorization or an airworthiness
certification under section 44704 of title 49, United States Code,
is required for the operation of unmanned aircraft systems
identified under paragraph (1).

(c) Requirements for Safe Operation- If the Secretary determines
under this section that certain unmanned aircraft systems may
operate safely in the national airspace system, the Secretary
shall establish requirements for the safe operation of such
aircraft systems in the national airspace system.

SEC. 323. PUBLIC UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.

Not later than 9 months after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Secretary shall issue guidance regarding the operation of
public unmanned aircraft systems to--

(1) expedite the issuance of a certificate of authorization
process;

(2) provide for a collaborative process with public agencies to
allow for an incremental expansion of access to the national
airspace system as technology matures and the necessary safety
analysis and data become available and until standards are
completed and technology issues are resolved; and

(3) facilitate the capability of public agencies to develop and
use test ranges, subject to operating restrictions required by the
Federal Aviation Administration, to test and operate unmanned
aircraft systems.

SEC. 324. DEFINITIONS.

In this subtitle, the following definitions apply:

(1) CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORIZATION- The term `certificate of
authorization' means a Federal Aviation Administration grant of
approval for a specific flight operation.

(2) DETECT, SENSE, AND AVOID CAPABILITY- The term `detect, sense,
and avoid capability' means the technical capability to perform
separation assurance and collision avoidance, as defined by the
Federal Aviation Administration.

(3) PUBLIC UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM- The term `public unmanned
aircraft system' means an unmanned aircraft system that meets the
qualifications and conditions required for operation of a public
aircraft, as defined by section 40102 of title 49, United States
Code.

(4) SECRETARY- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of
Transportation.

(5) TEST RANGE- The term `test range' means a defined geographic
area where research and development are conducted.

(6) UNMANNED AIRCRAFT- The term `unmanned aircraft' means an
aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human
intervention from within or on the aircraft.

(7) UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM- The term `unmanned aircraft system'
means an unmanned aircraft and associated elements (such as
communication links and a ground control station) that are
required to operate safely and efficiently in the national
airspace system.

"Larry Dighera" wrote:

(1) COMPREHENSIVE PLAN- Not later than 9 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with
representatives of the aviation industry, shall develop a
comprehensive plan to safely integrate commercial unmanned
aircraft systems into the national airspace system.



If I were a UPS or FedEx pilot, this would worry me. How much do you think
the freight companies could save by replacing human pilots with machines?

--
Dan
T-182T at BFM

On Jul 2, 2:53 pm, Larry Dighera wrote:
If the House FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007 passes, it looks like we
can expect to be flying with robot aircraft soon (September 30, 2012
at the latest):

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/...uL55T:e117021:
H.R.2881
FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------*-----

Subtitle B--Unmanned Aircraft Systems

SEC. 321. COMMERCIAL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS INTEGRATION PLAN.

Great. Another computer voice to have to listen to and deciper. Or
are these things all going to be sans radio?

Austin

On Mon, 2 Jul 2007 15:06:38 -0500, "Dan Luke"
wrote in
:


If I were a UPS or FedEx pilot, this would worry me. How much do you think
the freight companies could save by replacing human pilots with machines?

Their salaries are not that high as it is.

How much higher do you think the insurance premium will be for a
pilotless flight? Will the UAV be programmed to avoid populated areas
in the event of a forced landing?

On Mon, 02 Jul 2007 13:29:13 -0700, AustinMN
wrote in . com:

SEC. 321. COMMERCIAL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS INTEGRATION PLAN.

Great. Another computer voice to have to listen to and deciper. Or
are these things all going to be sans radio?


It all depends on what the plan the FAA proposes, but that's not what
worries me.

Did you notice that it will not be certificated ATPs who pilot the
UAVs? And the detect-and-avoid standard still needs to be specified.
Those two issues are crucial for UAV integration into the NAS, IMO.

"Larry Dighera" wrote:


If I were a UPS or FedEx pilot, this would worry me. How much do you think
the freight companies could save by replacing human pilots with machines?

Their salaries are not that high as it is.

Where'd you get that idea, Larry?

http://www.willflyforfood.cc/Payscales/FedExPay.htm

And furthermore, salaries are only part of the true cost of employees. There
are also benefits, training and administrative overhead that can be dumped.
This will be an absolute no-brainer costwise once the technology is ready.


How much higher do you think the insurance premium will be for a
pilotless flight?

I'll bet it will be lower after the insurers get some actuarial data to go
on. Even if it's higher at first, the cost savings of axing personnel will
more than offset it.

Will the UAV be programmed to avoid populated areas
in the event of a forced landing?

Easy to do.

--
Dan
T-182T at BFM

Dan Luke wrote:
"Larry Dighera" wrote:


If I were a UPS or FedEx pilot, this would worry me. How much do
you think the freight companies could save by replacing human
pilots with machines?

Their salaries are not that high as it is.

Where'd you get that idea, Larry?

http://www.willflyforfood.cc/Payscales/FedExPay.htm

And furthermore, salaries are only part of the true cost of
employees. There are also benefits, training and administrative
overhead that can be dumped. This will be an absolute no-brainer
costwise once the technology is ready.

How much higher do you think the insurance premium will be for a
pilotless flight?

I'll bet it will be lower after the insurers get some actuarial data
to go on. Even if it's higher at first, the cost savings of axing
personnel will more than offset it.

Will the UAV be programmed to avoid populated areas
in the event of a forced landing?

Easy to do.

And when the first FedEx UAV crashes into downtown Memphis there will be a
huge overreaction that ends R/C aircraft as a hobby but continues to allow
FedEx UAVs.

Gig 601XL Builder wrote:


And when the first FedEx UAV crashes into downtown Memphis there will be a
huge overreaction that ends R/C aircraft as a hobby but continues to allow
FedEx UAVs.



What about when the UAV busts a TFR. Will the computer be properly
trained in interception operations?

"Gig 601XL Builder" wrote:

And when the first FedEx UAV crashes into downtown Memphis there will be a
huge overreaction that ends R/C aircraft as a hobby but continues to allow
FedEx UAVs.

No doubt.

Alas, as we have seen over the last 6 years, the American public is easily
stampeded into going along with any sort of outlandish nonsense.

--
Dan

"Almost all the matter that came out of the Big Bang was two specific sorts;
hydrogen, and stupidity."

-Robert Carnegie in talk.origins