FAA to name adviser to handle ‘crush’ of industry drone queries

By David Morgan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday that it would place a higher priority on integrating drones into the national air space by appointing a senior adviser to coordinate relations with industry and other outside stakeholders.

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said the new position would deal with what has become “an absolute crush” of outside interest from the private sector and allow safety regulators within the agency’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) integration office to concentrate on crafting new regulations for commercial drone use.

He said the aim was to put “more resources” on drone integration “to elevate its profile within the agency.”

The job, which has not yet been filled, is the latest in a series of FAA actions to enhance its accommodation of commercial drones in the face of mounting pressure from Congress and private industry.

The FAA, which hopes to have final drone regulations in place by the start of 2017, has also taken steps to broaden the corporate use and testing of drones on a case-by-case basis.

“It’s almost an external focus on how we can ensure that we’re being responsive to industry and the global community, while at the same time actually getting the work done that’s getting things into the air space system,” Huerta told reporters at an aviation forum in Washington.

The change essentially splits in two the position of former FAA drone office manager James Williams, who recently retired.

The new senior UAS adviser will report to FAA Deputy Administrator Michael Whitaker and have broad scope to deal with the public, the aviation industry, state and local governments, members of Congress and others.

“We wanted it to be at a sufficient level that it could play this coordinating role across all of the parts of the agency as well as across the industry,” Huerta said.

A job posting for the senior adviser’s position, which closed May 29, included a salary range of $123,700 to $174,200.

Williams’ regulatory duties will also be elevated within FAA. The new drone office director, who has yet to be named, will report to Margaret Gilligan, associate FAA administrator for aviation safety. Williams reported instead to the agency’s flight standards director.

Huerta told reporters that the UAS integration office will retain its concentration on rulemaking and the granting of interim exemptions from a near-ban on commercial drones.
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