Speech – FAA Administrator Steve Dickson: Episode III Keynote

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Administrator Stephen Dickson
Virtual

Thanks Erik, for that introduction, and welcome everyone to the FAAs sixth annual UAS Symposium. Since this years Symposium is fully virtual again, we decided to stick with the Remotely Piloted Edition moniker, and were looking forward to presenting Episode 3 over the next two days and Episode 4 in September.

The top level theme for this years event is Above and Beyond, and Im proud to say that the FAA, with your help, has definitely gone Above and Beyond since we last met in August.

Even in the midst of a global pandemic, we finalized the ops over people and at night rule and the remote ID rule, and were using these advances and capabilities to move full speed ahead into the Beyond Visual Line of Sight realm and the promise of UTM and AAM. Now, while I may not be a drone pilotyetI know my acronyms. They tell me thats half the battle!

But seriously, weve made a great deal of progress since Episode 2 last August, when the Symposiums theme wasDrones: Here for Good.

Ten months later, drones are still here for goodwe currently have nearly 900,000 registered, and were forecasting more than two million commercial and recreational drones flying in the National Airspace System by 2024.

And from what we gather from industry and from the press, drones are still doing good for civilization. Here are a few quick examples:

.A missing woman located by Virginia police using a drone with thermal imaging last December;

.the Savannah River National Laboratory monitoring a nuclear waste site with a fleet of drones, and winning a prestigious Department of Energy award for it.

.Alameda County, California, drones are used to create 360 degree images of fire-devastated areas so residents can assess damage to their property without having to return to the dangerous area

And package delivery growth continues, too. We saw Amazon Prime Air, last September, become the third FAA-certified air carrier for drone package deliveries, joining Wing and UPS Flight Forward. And just last month [May], the largest retailer in the worldWalmartpartnered with a drone operator to explore how they can deliver goods by drone in North Carolina under the part 107 rules. Others are waiting in the wings, so to speak.

This is what progress looks like, and trust me there is more coming.

I want to focus on how the FAA is helping the drone sector move Above and Beyond with the new performance-based regulations and research and education initiatives that lean into the future.

Lets start with the Small UAS Operations over People rule that we finalized in January and went live in April.

First off, dont let the name fool youthe ops over people rule includes a lot more than ops over people, for example night operations and flights over moving vehicles. Weve allowed these types of operations before, but always on a case by case basis through waivers. Now, theres no need for a waiver, providing the pilot and the drone meet all the requirements.

For routine night ops, the drone has to be equipped with anti-collision lights, similar to traditional, manned aircraft, and the pilot must complete the new night training requirement and receive the proper airspace authorizations.

We expect operations over people to begin in earnest over the next six to 18 months. We created four operations categories with drone requirements that are proportional to the type of operation and the potential harm the drone could cause to people on the ground.

Not surprisingly, drones flying over open air assembliesfor example over a festival, concert, or paradewill have to comply with remote identification requirements, and thats a nice segue to the Remote ID rule.

Published in January, the remote ID rule is a digital license plate that will pave the way for more advanced operations and full integration of drones into the National Airspace System. That means routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight and a boost for package delivery, particularly in congested low-altitude airspace as part of a UTM ecosystem.

The bottom line for operators is this: If you fly a drone that requires registration, meaning it weighs more than 0.55 pounds, then you are required to fully comply with the rule by September 16, 2023.

There are three ways to complyOperate a drone manufactured with the technology; Incorporate an external broadcast module; or fly without Remote ID within the bounds of what we call an FAA-recognized identification area, or FRIA (free-ah). FRIAs in many cases will be the traditional model airplane fields where hobbyists have gathered and safely flown for decades.

Technically speaking, if you are not flying in a FRIA the drone will have to broadcast its unique identifier, altitude, location, and information about its control station or departure point.

Now, that does not mean that Phil Mickelson could have taken out his smartphone and found out who was operating the TV camera drone that he says was blocking his 4th hole shot to the green at the PGA Championship a few weeks ago. Even Phil doesnt have that kind of pull. What it does mean, for example, is that by coordinating with the FAA, appropriate law enforcement entities can identify and stop incidents like drones operated illegally around wildfires where theyve sometimes prevented traditional aviation firefighting activities.

Thats one purpose, but the bigger picture is that Remote ID is a necessary ingredient for Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations, which, as you know, are key to unleashing the true potential of drones and other highly autonomous vehicles.

Right now, there are several companies using limited Beyond Visual Line of Sight under existing regulations, with waivers, to conduct routine surveillance, inspection and maintenance tasks for the railroad, electric, oil and gas, and communications industries.

Were learning a great deal from this work, but the operations are not scalable or economically viable in the mid- to long-term under todays rules.

So today, Im pleased to announce that the FAA is forming a new Aviation Rulemaking Committee, or ARC, to help the agency develop a regulatory path for routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations. This committee will consider the safety, security and environmental needs, as well as societal benefits, of these operations. Within six months, the committee will submit a recommendations report to the FAA.

I think we can all agree this is a big step forward, and it will help pave the way for routine package delivery, infrastructure inspection, and other more complex drone operations beyond the visual line-of-sight of the remote pilot.

Were also investing in research and partner programs like BEYOND, which will help us create performance-based, technology-agnostic rules.

BEYOND started last year where the Integration Pilot Program left off. Were working with eight of the nine IPP participants and some new partners over the next 3-4 years to advance and expand the scope of repeatable and scalable Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations under todays rules.

Theres a great deal of additional research underway, in part through our government, industry, academic, and international partners. Topics of high interest and ongoing work include UTM, and passenger transport capabilities, including Urban Air Mobility.

Were also studying the risks of drones, including ground and airborne collision severity studies, engine ingestion testing, and UAS detection, which we are testing at five airports over the next two years.

As you know, the FAA is not only a regulator, but were also an air navigation services provider; so of course were heavily invested in making sure the drone ecosystem will fit hand-in-glove with our air traffic control system.

Our answer is UTM, which, as you know, is a foundational capability needed to unlock the full potential of this sector. Based on the work weve done with NASA, were planning a regulatory framework based on a federated approach that will allow airspace users to cooperatively manage their operations where the FAA does not actively provide separation services.

Were also continuing to work with our global partners to develop a UTM architecture. BUT, we ultimately want YOU, industry, to take ownership. And when I see all the amazing innovation from private industry shaping the aerospace industry right now, Im confident that UTM will be no different.

When you envision the types of aircraft moving through the skies under UTM, you not only think of Beyond Visual Line of Sight cargo delivery flights, but you naturally think about flying taxis, or more broadly speaking, Advanced Air Mobility, or AAM. Weve all seen the prototypes, and its hard not to be excited by what we see.

My role as FAA Administrator is to figure out how to introduce these emerging technologies while maintaining the unwavering safety commitment that the public has come to expect from the FAA. Finding this balance is especially challenging because AAM crosses so many domainsregulations, infrastructure, technology, operations, and societal perceptions.

The FAA is taking a systems approach, where our executives have established an internal AAM Integration Executive Council to coordinate all our activities in five areasaircraft, airspace, operations, infrastructure and community.

Were working with NASA on the Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign, which is designed to help develop certification standards while promoting public confidence and education in the technology. As part of the campaign, NASA recently completed testing with a Bell Kiowa helicopter as a surrogate urban air mobility vehicle in a simulated congested urban environment.

All of usgovernment, industry, and the public have a role to play as we develop consensus standards and a comprehensive risk picture of how and where AAM will operate.

As Ive said previously, we have several AAM aircraft in the aircraft certification process right now, and several companies anticipate flying initial AAM operations around 2024. Ill also repeat that the FAA has no current plans to update regulations for AAM operationsthe existing rules are flexible enough to accommodate any potential near-term operations.

So climbing back up to the 60,000 foot level, I can say with confidence that the State of the State for drones here in Episode 3 is healthy and heading in the right direction. We want you to stay with us on the journey.

For our global partners, we want to share best practices for harmonizing the skies.

For industry and the research community, were looking to you to help make compliance easier as we roll out the remote ID and operations over people rules.

For Public Safety & Law Enforcement, were counting on you to enforce the rules once theyre effective.

To our commercial drone pilots, we know youre the impetus for change. We know you see the new possibilities for UAS in your business, and that you want to see tomorrows drones today.

We hear you, and we want you to know we are here to help coordinate these manyand oftentimes competingdemands. You have my word that we are laser-focused on next steps, supporting technologies and policies that enable routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations.

To our recreational pilots I saved the best for last. We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we work to safely introduce drones into the airspace.

We are in the final stages of selecting the Test Administrators for The Recreational UAS Safety Test. Deployment of the test will be announced soon on our website FAA.gov.

The test will provide recreational pilots with safety training tips, best practices, and educational resources. Perhaps more importantly, I see it as a way to bring more recreational pilots into the pilot family and aviation safety culture so that we can all continue to learn and grow, together. Deployment of the test will be announced on our website.

I like to say that Safety is a journey, not a destination, and that journey requires all of us to continually learn and grow as aviators. Thats how weall of us herekeep it safe.

The FAA is here to help, and well continue to work together as a community to go above and beyond and see to it that drones remain here for good.

Thanks again for the invitation to speak, and I look forward to exploring these topics a bit more with Erik and Keely here for the next 10 minutes or so.

News and Updates – Runway Safety Town Hall: Air Traffic Ramps Up This Summer

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As the summer approaches, we can expect a rise in airport traffic in the air and on the runways. With this in mind, the Federal Aviation Administration is redoubling its effort to offer guidance, resources and expertise to preempt any airfield errors by general aviation pilots, especially those who have spent a year away from the cockpit.

On June 16, the FAA is hosting a Runway Safety Town Hall for all General Aviation pilots. It will be a live online event that will offer best practices and a lively discussion from GA pilots, air traffic controllers and runway safety experts.

The focus of the Town Hall is to help pilots reduce the risk of airfield errors and lower the potential for accidents. Discussion topics by pilots and air traffic experts will include preflight preparation, situational awareness, focused and clear communications, knowledge of runway geometry and signage, and more.

The Runway Safety Town Hall for General Aviation pilots will run from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, June 16. The event is free.

Pilots can register for the event here. Participants registered on the livestream will have the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists and will receive FAA WINGS credit for attending the entire event. The Town Hall also will be livestreamed on FAAs YouTube channel, but viewers on this channel will not be able to ask questions nor gain WINGS credit.

News and Updates – FAA Approves Renewal of Oklahoma Spaceport License

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After completing a comprehensive review, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the renewal of the spaceport license for the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority.

Thelicense authorizes the Authority to operate a launch site at the Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark in Burns Flat, Okla., in support of FAA-licensed or permitted suborbital missions by reusable launch vehicles. The license is valid for five years.

There are currently 12 commercial FAA-licensed spaceports, located in Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia (see map).

The FAAs top priority in regulatingcommercial space transportationis that launch and reentry operations are safe for the public.The agency protects public safety by licensing commercial launch and reentry activities and monitoring FAA-licensed operations to make sure all phases comply with the regulations. The FAA also issues safety approvals for launch and reentry vehicles, various safety systems and the personnel performing licensed activities.

AnFAA licenseis required to conduct any commercial launch or reentry, the operation of any launch or reentry site by U.S. citizens anywhere in the world, or by any person or entity within the United States.

Learn more about the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation.

[KSW(1]Add link.

Speech – Opening RemarksEuropean Civil Aviation Conference

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Administrator Stephen Dickson
Virtual Event

Thank you, Rick (Yoneoka) for that introduction, and thank you to Ingrid (Cherfils) for your dedication and support to this organization, to the US Department of Transportation and the FAA, and most importantlyto global aviation safetyin your more than six years as the president of this influential group.

We appreciate your dedication to this trans-Atlantic partnership that benefits our nations and the world. When we collaborate, we improve the safety, security, and the environment of our interconnected global aviation system.

Ive said this before, but it bears repeatingdespite the extreme challenges of the ongoing crisis and the unpredictability of the recovery, the trans-Atlantic relationship in aviation remains strong, and it is vitally important to the FAA.

Major hurdles remain, but we have also made some positive strides since the beginning of the pandemic. The FAAs Dr. Susan Northrup will provide more information later today on some of the measures weve taken.

Its good to come together at this consequential time as we strive to get our people and commerce moving again. I know theres hard work ahead, but I also know that we are the most innovative when we are challenged. History is our proof.

Consider that not too many years ago, it took about four days to travel from France to New York. In fact, on this day in 1935, the ocean liner, S.S. Normandie set a speed record for the trip: Four days, three hours, and 14 minutes.

Now we do the trip by airliner in about eight hours, flying in modern aircraft that are immensely safe and efficient. We can thank innovators on both sides of the Atlantic for that progress.

But if theres one thing that COVID-19 has shown us, its that innovation and technology alone will not make for successful international air travel. It takes rock-solid partnerships on both sides of the Atlantic. And the relationships are even more critical when we must put measures in place to keep our citizens safe.

The pandemic, however, is not the only challenge we are facing, and we cannot let it keep us from making progress on other important issues like climate change and the environment.

As you know, the Biden-Harris Administration has made a commitment to tackle climate change, and for our part, we intend to accelerate our actions to reduce aviation emissions. We simply cant move forward with an effective global aviation network without addressing these issues.

To do this, we will build on a strong foundation of aircraft technology, sustainable aviation fuels, air traffic efficiency, and policy. Kevin Welsh will dive into more depth on this tomorrow.

Id like to thank our European partners and the European Union for the constant coordination you have provided on all these matters, including the ICAO CART work, and during the reintroduction of the Boeing 737 MAX into airline service in Europe. Along these lines, the FAA and the European Commission will co-host a webinar at the end of June to discuss our joint work and initiatives on aviation safety, climate, and sustainability.

Your cooperation was key while working on the MAX, and Id have to say it has improved the transparency and sharing of knowledge between us. This is particularly important as we harmonize certification policies and processes.

The collaboration on the MAX gave us a big head start on legislation passed by the U.S. Congress in late December. That statute directed us to continue and improve our relationships with all foreign partners and ICAO, with a particular focus on broader use of Safety Management Systems and better understanding human factors from a global perspective.

Regarding Safety Management Systems, we have initiated a rulemaking that will consider requiring aircraft manufacturers that hold both a type certificate and a production certificate to adopt safety management systems, consistent with international standards and practices.

Ill add that, overall, our relationship with EASA continues to be positive, and were collaborating on certification reform through the bilateral Certification Oversight Board.

I also appreciate that we are on the same page when it comes to the shocking actions that Belarus recently took with regard to a civilian airliner in its airspace.

I know this matter will be discussed more in-depth during your meetings, but I wanted to address it here, and note that by standing together, we can tackle challenges that directly violate safe and regular international aviation operations.

We support U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in his calls for international, transparent, and credible investigations of this incident, so we can determine what exactly occurred and how to avoid similar situations in the future. We have already addressed safety by issuing a Notice to Airmen for flights over the region.

I spoke earlier of how far weve come since the S.S. Normandie arrived in New York on this day in 1935, but what about the next 86 years?

From what Ive seen since becoming FAA Administrator a little less than two years ago, I very strongly believe that we have begun the most exciting period of aerospace progress since the birth of aviation.

Along with entirely new forms of transportationdrones and urban air mobilityweve seen a rebirth in space, with an enthusiasm that I havent witnessed since the Apollo days.

Related to drones, we recently finalized two new rulesoperations over people, which also allows for routine night flights; and remote identification, which takes us ever closer to full integration of drones into our air traffic system. Jay Merkle will address this more in-depth later today.

In commercial aviation, were reaching new heights in fuel efficiency, automation, and safety, and taking what were learning to rediscover some old ideas

Remember that brief interlude, from 1976 until 2003, when a sleek airliner called the Concorde made the Paris-New York hop in a cool three hoursusually with some really cool people on board?

For all of its popularity and glamour, that particular Mach 2 airliner did not turn out to be economicallyor environmentallysustainable in the long run.

But now we are seeing renewed interest in supersonic transport from the perspective of new solutions to the old economic and environmental challenges.

The FAA recently finalized a new rule that clarifies and updates procedures for obtaining approval for supersonic flight testing in the U.S., and we will work closely with our international partners as we consider further standards to make sure we properly address noise and emissions.

And Id have to wager that 86 years from now, travelers will be able to book a sub-orbital liner that will loft them from New York to Paris in about 30 minutes.

Given the advances and pace were seeing in commercial space, it could happen a lot sooner. In the U.S., were on track for an average of one launch or reentry every week this year.

Just last month, we marked a first for U.S.-European collaboration in commercial space. The FAA worked with NASA to launch four astronautsone from the European Union, one from Japan, and two from the U.S.to the International Space Station aboard a Space X Falcon rocket as part of the Crew-2 mission.

This was the first U.S. commercial space mission to fly an astronaut from the European Space Agency. Along with three others already on the ISS, the crew is conducting biological research that could help all people by solving some of the complex questions about the human immune system.

The FAAs role was to ensure the commercial space operator, SpaceX, met all federal licensing requirements as well as regulations to protect public safety during the launchand they did.

To date, we have an excellent record with our commercial space licensing. In fact, the launch of Virgin Galactics VSS Unity test flight on May 22 marked an awesome milestone for us: 400 FAA-licensed commercial launches, none of which caused an injury to the public.

That doesnt mean were resting on our laurelsits quite the opposite. It means were working even harder to uncover any threats that could lead to a problem.

Progress in space, as well as the many new technologies were putting to work closer to the earthlike drones and UAMmake me optimistic about our destiny in the transportation realm. And I know thisbecause of our trans-Atlantic partnership, it will be a shared destiny.

With that, Ill let you get to the important business on the agenda today. I thank you again for being our trusted partner through good times and bad, and for having me here today.

Before I go, I would also like to thank Ian Ross, our FAA Senior Representative in Paris, for his dedicated service to the trans-Atlantic partnership over the past five and a half years. As most of you probably know, Ian will be returning to the U.S. this summer. But he will be bringing back with him the experience, network, and appreciation for the importance of our collaboration with all of you.

Thanks again, and Id be happy to take any questions.

News and Updates – Don't Forget to Register for the 2021 FAA UAS Symposium

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There is still time to register for Episodes III and IV of the virtual FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Symposium.

The theme for this years event is Above and Beyond and it will take place on June 9-10, 2021 and Sept. 14-15, 2021. This is a unique opportunity to have your drone questions answered from leaders in the industry, who will discuss future technologies and regulations that support the safe integration of drones into the national airspace system.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) are co-hosting the symposium. Each episode will feature keynote presentations, expert panels, informational sessions with live Q&A, roundtable discussions and one-on-one meetings with experts from the FAA UAS Support Center. The full agenda and session descriptions for Episode III are available on the symposium website. The agenda for Episode IV will be posted in the summer.

Episode III keynote speakers:

  • FAA Administrator, Steve Dickson
  • FAA Office of UAS Integration, Executive Director, Jay Merkle
  • AUVSI President and CEO, Brian Wynne

Episode III (June 9-10) sessions will focus on:

  • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education
  • International standards
  • Public safety operations
  • Recreational community
  • Commercial operations

Episode IV (September 14-15) sessions will focus on:

  • Operational Advancements
  • Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations
  • International Developments

Dont miss out on this exciting opportunity to learn and network-register now!