Municipal Drone Operations

Ben Roper

City of College Station

Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) – aka Drone

• You are establishing an aviation unit for your entity – What could possible go wrong?

https://youtu.be/aolM1aQKEws

What is Needed

• Register UAS

• Policy• Aircraft System

• Lost Communications

• Emergency Procedures

• Lost Link

• Launch and Recovery

• Obtain COA or Follow Part 107 Rule

Registration

• Required by the FAA as of December 21, 2015

• Anyone who owns a small unmanned aircraft that weighs more than 0.55 lbs. (250g) and less than 55 lbs. (25kg) must register with the Federal Aviation Administration's UAS registry before they fly outdoors. People who do not register could face civil penalties up to $27,500 and criminal penalties including fines of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years.

• As of March 31, 2016, can register online – highly recommended, $5.00https://registermyuas.faa.gov/

Registration

Required Not required

Wt. 5 oz.

Wt. 0.1 lbs.Wt. 2.8 lbs.

Registration Categories • Model aircraft - flown for hobby or recreational purposes, online

registration, $5 fee, unique registration number, not an N-number, registration number must be marked on the aircraft.

• Civil (includes commercial use)

• Section 333 Exemption, Rule 107, and civil Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA)

• Special Airworthiness Certificate (SAC)

• Experimental

• A UAS type and airworthiness certificate in the Restricted Category

• Public Operations (Governmental)

However,

Registration certificate does not provide authorization to operate.

All owners of small UAS used for purposes other than as model aircraft must currently follow the New Small UAS Rule (Part 107), a public

certificate of authorization or other FAA authorization to legally operate, in addition to registering their aircraft.

Regulations

• On February 23, 2015, the FAA proposed a framework of regulations that would allow routine use of certain small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in today's aviation system, known as the “Small UAS Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)”

• The 60-day public comment period for the small UAS Notice of Proposed Rulemaking closed on April 24, 2015. Over 4,600 public comments submitted.

• The new Small UAS Rule, “Operation and Certification of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems”, (Part 107) was released June 21,2016 and became effective August 29, 2016.

Recent Changes

• March 29- The FAA raised the unmanned aircraft (UAS) “blanket” altitude authorization for Section 333 exemption holders and government aircraft operators to 400 feet (except restricted airspace and other areas). Previously, the agency had put in place a nationwide Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) for such flights up to 200 feet.

• March 31 – Owners of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) used for commercial, public and other non-model aircraft operations able to use the FAA’s new, web-based registration process to register their aircraft.

• August 29 – Part 107 Rule became effective (initial ruling)

UAS Operating Options

Part 107Public Certificate of Authorization (COA)

· Available to individuals, private organizations, and some government entities· Replaces, in most instances, need for Section 333 exemption· Designed to accommodate as technology evolves and matures.

· Available to public agencies conducting governmental functions· A public aircraft operation can continue to operate under a COA or can voluntarily operate as a civil aircraft in compliance with part 107· Part 107 does not apply to Public Aircraft Operations

Note: Operators holding a Section 333 exemption may continue to operate under that exemptionuntil it expires, or convert to Part 107 operations.

UAS Operating Options (cont.)Part 107 Public Aircraft Operations

Applies to civil aircraft operations only Not allowed for civil aircraft operationsAuthority to conduct a public aircraft operation is determined by statute (49 U.S.C. 40102(a)(41) and 40125). FAA does have authority to impose requirements that apply to all aircraft operating in the NAS.

Visual line-of sight operations only Visual line-of-sight operations onlyRemote Pilot in Command with small UAS rating

May not require pilot license or certification. (FAA states that, “public aircraft operations are not required to comply with civil airworthiness or airman certification requirements to conduct operations”.)

Small UAS limited to daylight and civil twilight operations

Small UAS limited to daylight and civil twilight operations

UAS Operating Options (cont.)Part 107 Public Aircraft Operations

Visual observer not required. If used, not required to obtain an airman certificate.

Visual observer required.

Maximum altitude of 400 feet above ground level (AGL) or, if higher than 400 feet AGL, remain within 400 feet of a structure.

Determined by COA, but generally operations below 400 AGL permitted, subject to safety of flight.

FAA airworthiness certification is not required. However, the remote pilot in command must conduct a preflight check of the small UAS to ensure that it is in a condition for safe operation.

Allowed to “self certify” airworthiness

NOTAM not required if operating below 400 ft.AGL.

NOTAM may be required.

Airman medical certificate not required. Airman medical certificate not required.

Public Aircraft Operations

Public Declaration Letter from City Attorney

Public Aircraft Operations

Paper Registration

• AC Form 8050-88 (Affidavit for ownership of amateur build and other non-type certified aircraft

• AC Form 8050-1 (Aircraft registration application)

Now available online: https://registermyuas.faa.gov/

Public Aircraft Operations

• Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) – Phase I

• Initial application (Phase I). The initial COA is generally restricted to training and evaluation activities at a specific training site that is confined to Class G airspace, remaining well clear of housing areas, roads, any persons, and watercraft.

• Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) – Phase II

• Second “Operational” (Jurisdictional). Permits public agencies and organizations to operate a particular aircraft, for a particular purpose, in a particular area. The COA allows an operator to use a defined block of airspace and includes special safety provisions unique to the proposed operation. Usually are issued for a specific period –up to two years in many cases.

• AC No: 00-1.1A

Let’s Talk Airspace

• Airspace Categories

• Regulatory

• Nonregulatory

• Airspace Types

• Controlled

• Uncontrolled

• Special Use

• Other

Definitions

• AGL – Above Ground Level - altitude expressed in the actual number of feet measured above the ground

• MSL- Mean Sea Level - The average height of the surface of the sea for all states of tide; used as a reference for aeronautical elevations throughout the U.S.

• VFR – Visual Flight Rules - set of rules created by the FAA for flight in VMC, or visual meteorological conditions (ceiling greater than or equal to 3,000 feet AGL and visibility greater than or equal to 5 miles)

• IFR – Instrument Flight Rules

Airspace

Airspace

• Class A Airspace - Generally that airspace from 18,000 feet MSL up to and including FL 600, including the airspace overlying the waters within 12 nautical miles of the coast of the 48 contiguous States and Alaska

• Class B Airspace - Generally, that airspace from the surface to 10,000 feet MSL surrounding the nation's busiest airports in terms of IFR operations or passenger enplanements. The configuration of each Class B airspace area is individually tailored and consists of a surface area and two or more layers

• Class C Airspace is generally that airspace from the surface to 4,000 feet above the airport elevation (charted in MSL) surrounding those airports that have an operational control tower

Airspace

• Class D airspace is generally that airspace from the surface to 2,500 above the airport elevation (charted in MSL) surrounding those airports that have an operational control tower. The configuration of each Class D airspace area is individually tailored and when instrument procedures are published, the airspace will normally be designated to contain the procedures

• Generally, if the airspace is not Class A, B, C, or D, and is controlled airspace it is Class E airspace. Class E airspace begins at 14,500 MSL over the United States

• Class G Airspace – Only U.S. Airspace that is uncontrolled. Exists where wherever Class A, B, C, D or E airspace doesn't. Practically, it starts at the surface and extends up until it hits Class E airspace. On a map, Class G's ceiling is the floor of Class E airspace. And, it's always exclusive. For example, if Class E starts at 700 feet AGL, Class G goes up to, but doesn't include, 700 feet AGL.

Resources

• https://www.faa.gov/uas/

• http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/

Questions??

Public Aircraft OperationsThe authority to conduct a public aircraft operation is determined by statute (49 U.S.C. 40102(a)(41) and 40125). The FAA has no authority to prohibit a qualified government entity from conducting public aircraft operations, manned or unmanned. Consequently, many of the FAA's regulations, such as aircraft certification and pilot requirements, do not apply to public aircraft operations. Some of the general operating rules apply to all aircraft operations, public aircraft and civil, and that is where the need for COAs affects public aircraft operations of UAS. For example, all aircraft must comply with 14 CFR 91.113, and UAS require a conditional waiver of that regulation in order to operate in the NAS; the conditions are specified in the COA.

Qualified governmental entities may choose to operate a public aircraft operation as long as they do so within the limits of the public aircraft statute. Under this rule, they may choose to operate their UAS as a civil aircraft instead, and operate under the civil regulations. Government entities have always had the option to do this with their manned aircraft; in some cases, government entities may be required to operate under civil regulations if their operations do not comply with the public aircraft statute. The new UAS regulations do not change this option or the requirements of the public aircraft statute.

Remote Pilot in Command Certificate Process

First, an applicant will have to take and pass an initial aeronautical knowledge test. After taking the knowledge test, the applicant will be provided with an airman knowledge test report showing his or her test results. If the applicant passed the test, the applicant will then fill out an application for a remote pilot certificate using either the FAA's electronic application process (referred to as the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) system) or a paper application. The FAA will then forward the applicant's information to the TSA for security vetting to determine whether the applicant poses a security risk. Once TSA notifies the FAA that the applicant does not pose a security risk the FAA will issue an electronic temporary remote pilot certificate to an applicant who applied through the IACRA system.[128] This temporary certificate (valid for 120 days after receipt) will be issued within 10 business days after receipt of an electronic application, and it will allow the applicant to exercise all the privileges of a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating. Once all other FAA-internal processing is complete, the FAA will issue the applicant a permanent remote pilot certificate.