FAA Reauthorization leaked – 21st Century Aviation Innovation – what is means for drones
I’m literally updating this in real time so keep checking back in as I provide a write up on this.
Notable Mentions:
• The advisory board advising the non-profit corporation shall have on it unmanned aircraft operators and unmanned aircraft manufacturers.
• Upholds the protections of Section 336 regarding model aircraft flyers but DOES allow the FAA to create a registration system for model aircraft.
• The Section 336 provisions, which used to be 5 elements, now includes the requirement that the drone cannot fly over a fixed site facility that “operates amusement rides available for use by the general public or the property extending 500 lateral feet beyond the perimeter of such facility unless the operation is authorized by the owner of the amusement facility[.]”
• Commercial education using unmanned aircraft falls into the protections for model aircraft.
• The new language defines what a community-based organisation is.
• Tells the FAA to create within 180 days of passage a process for recognizing a CBO.
• Creates a small UAS air carrier certificate for package delivery.
• “the Comptroller General of the United States shall initiate a study on appropriate fee mechanisms to recover the costs of— (1) the regulation and safety oversight of unmanned aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems; and (2) the provision of air navigation services to unmanned aircraft and unmanned aircraft systems.”
