News and Updates – FAA Eases Restrictions on Drone Operations Over Some Federal Facilities

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced today that it is working with other federal agencies to minimize the impact of flight restrictions on drone operators flying near select federal facilities.

The FAA is working with the U.S. Department of Defense to establish intermittent restrictions on drone flights within the lateral boundaries of select federal facilities during specified times. Currently, drone operators are prohibited from flying at these locations at all times. The FAA is working to ensure that these restrictions are narrowly tailored and remain in effect only when necessary.

Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) will be issued in advance, indicating the sites where these intermittent restrictions will apply. Drone operators will be able to easily identify the status of the airspace at these locations using the FAAs Unmanned Aircraft System UAS Data Display Systems (UDDS) interactive map which will show the following:

  • The airspace shapes will appear gray when the 99.7 (special security instructions) airspace is inactive and no restrictions are placed on drone operators.
  • Approximately 24 hours before restrictions are activated, the designated airspace will change to yellow as a warning that restrictions will soon become active.
  • At the end of the 24-hour warning window, the designated airspace will change to red while the drone restrictions are in effect.
  • The specific activation times can also be viewed by clicking on the individual airspace shapes in UDDS. Operators are urged to check the UDDS website frequently before and during UAS flights, especially when operating near or within the defined airspace to which recurring transient special security instructions are applied.

These changes, which have been highlighted by FAA NOTAM FDC 9/7752, will become effective on Sept.1, 2019. This NOTAM replaces FAA NOTAM FDC 8/3277. Note that there are few exceptions that permit UAS operations within these restrictions, and those must be coordinated with the individual facility and/or the FAA.

Operators who violate the flight restrictions may be subject to enforcement action, including potential civil penalties, criminal charges, or the loss of their UAS from counter-UAS activities.

The FAA is continuing to consider additional requests by eligible federal security agencies for UAS-specific flight restrictions using the agencys existing authority under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 99.7 as they are received. Additional changes to these restrictions will be announced by the FAA as appropriate.

Information on the NOTAM, which defines these restrictions, and all of the currently covered locations, is available. To ensure the public is aware of these restricted locations, the UDDS also provides an interactive map, downloadable geospatial data, and other important details. A link to these restrictions is included in the FAAs B4UFLY mobile app.

Broader information regarding flying drones in the National Airspace System, including frequently asked questions, is available on the FAA’s UAS website.

News and Updates – Drones and Weapons, A Dangerous Mix

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is warning the general public that it is illegal to operate a drone with a dangerous weapon attached.

Perhaps youve seen online photos and videos of drones with attached guns, bombs, fireworks, flamethrowers, and other dangerous items. Do not consider attaching any items such as these to a drone because operating a drone with such an item may result in significant harm to a person and to your bank account.

Operating a drone that has a dangerous weapon attached to it is a violation of Section 363 of the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act enacted Oct. 5, 2018. Operators are subject to civil penalties up to $25,000 for each violation, unless the operator has received specific authorization from the Administrator of the FAA to conduct the operation. Dangerous Weapon means any item that is used for, or is readily capable of, causing death or serious bodily injury.

Operators should keep in mind that federal regulations and statutes that generally govern drone operations still apply. Some state and federal criminal laws regarding weapons and hazardous materials may also apply to drone operators or manufacturers involved in certain operations.

News and Updates – FAA Seeks Stakeholder Input on Drone Tests

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Request for Information (RFI) this week seeking to work with stakeholders on the administration of a new aeronautical knowledge test for recreational drone operators.

Section 349 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 requires new conditions to operate recreational small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Many drones can be flown today with minimal training or knowledge of aviation rules or safety practices. The new statute is an opportunity to educate recreational flyers on UAS safety and to bring new flyers into the existing aviation safety culture.

The law requires that flyers of recreational drones pass an aeronautical knowledge and safety test. The test will demonstrate a recreational flyers understanding of aeronautical safety knowledge and rules for operating a UAS.

The FAA is developing the test content and the training in consultation with stakeholders. The test must be administered electronically by the FAA, community-based organizations, or other persons designated by the FAA. The FAAs objective is to work with third party entities to allow them to administer the knowledge training and test content on various platforms for the recreational flyer community.

The FAA is looking for entities who want to become testing designees, who will administer the training and testing to the widest audience possible, and who will develop a standard electronic record that will be issued to the potential operator upon completion of the test. The entity will provide the potential drone operator with documentation that they passed the test, which may be requested by the FAA or local law enforcement.

Interested parties should review the RFI and respond by September 12, 2019.

News and Updates – Stephen M. Dickson Sworn in as Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration

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Dickson brings nearly 40 years of aviation experience to the job and becomes the 18th Administrator of the FAA.

Speech – FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson Swearing-In Remarks

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Administrator Stephen Dickson
Washington, DC

As Prepared

Thank you for that kind introduction and thanks to all of you for being here today. Id like to thank President Trump and Secretary Chao for their confidence in me to lead the FAA during this very important time. It was an honor to receive the Presidents nomination, and the Secretarys support was vital during my confirmation process.

I would like to thank our emcee for today, Deputy Administrator Dan Elwell, for his strong, principled leadership during a very challenging time in the agencys history. Dan, you have served your country and the aviation industry with distinction, and I look forward to working with you and the outstanding team at the FAA as we move forward together.

I see so many friends, colleagues and leaders from across the aviation industry who are so critical to the safety and success in aviation we enjoy as a nation. Welcome and thank you for coming. Janice and I are blessed that so many friends made the trip to spend this day with us.

My biggest thanks are for my family. My Mom, Joy and my father-in-law, Hank Borger, both made the trip and I am thankful you were able to share this day with us.

Sadly my Dad, Bill, passed away in May about six days after my confirmation hearing. But I know he is looking down on us now with great pride.

To my biggest supporter, the love of my life, my wife, Janicethe glue that holds our family together. Honey, I know the FAA was not originally in your flight plan and that we are diverting for a few years from our intended destination. I am so thankful for your support, your encouragement and your love. I love you and appreciate you so much!

With that, I am reminded of that basic principle of military change of command speeches: be brief, be brilliant, and be gone! So lets get on with it.

The US aviation system is the safest, most dynamic, and innovative in the world, largely due to the collaborative approach to safety championed by the FAA and shared by various segments of the industry represented here today. Your presence here sends a strong message to the traveling public, to those who operate in our airspace, and to the international aviation community: that while we have earned their trust through our robust approach to safety, the job is not done. In fact it is never done. We all have to work together to retain- and in places, restore- that trust.

I am honored to join the outstanding team at the FAA. I want all FAA people to know that I look forward to working with them to ensure our aviation system maintains its proper place leading the world in both safety and operational performance. Nowhere else in the world sees the volume, complexity and pace of innovation that we have in our aviation system here in America. That certainly presents challenges, but also tremendous opportunities.

The public, and all those who work in American aviation, should know that FAA will continue to lead as a values-driven organization. Our highest and most important value is safetythis cannot be compromised. A lesson I learned in my service to our country in the Air Force, and will bring to my leadership of the FAA, is that safety is a journey, and not a destination. Its a journey that we must embark upon with renewed vigor each and every day.

At this moment, an entire fleet of U.S.-made aircraft is grounded due to two tragic accidents overseas. My heart goes out to the families of those who perished in Indonesia and Ethiopia. I want to again be clear: FAA is a safety-driven organization and safety is my highest priority. This plane will not fly in commercial service until I am completely assured that it is safe to do so. FAA is following no timeline in returning the aircraft to service. Rather, we are going where the facts lead us and diligently ensuring that all technology and training is present and correct before the plane returns to passenger service.

Throughout the U.S. aviation sector, any safety programwhether at an airline, an airport, a manufacturer or even at a regulatorhas at its foundation a just culture that places an extremely high value on front-line employee reporting.

Programs like ASAP, ATSAP, FOQA and ASIAS provide extremely valuable data that allow us to take proactive safety actions. Now you can see that I am already adapting quite well to the Washington environmentjust in that last sentence I used four acronyms! Seriously, these safety reporting programs require collaboration between the operator, the regulator and labor. The benefits of this collaboration in enhancing safety have been demonstrated time and again. We will do everything in our power to ensure the FAA promotes and walks the walk on employee safety reporting programs. And you can expect us to take actions to ensure this same philosophy permeates all sectors of the aviation system.

FAA strives to be a constructive partner with the wider industry, but we can never and will never forget that we are a regulator whose first responsibility is the safety of the flying public. FAA will seek out consensus, but ultimately will act in the best interests of the safety of the aviation system as a whole.

As we work together, it is important to recognize that we will not always agree. But you can count on me to deal with each issue with honesty, integrity and from a standpoint of mutual respect. My team at the FAA will, too.

Maintaining the highest levels of safety while adapting to technological advancements will be a key part of our success. The rate of change is something that will require the focus and attention of the FAA and all aviation stakeholders. Innovation, automation, new entrants coming into the systemyou see it every day in the headlines. To be successful as a regulator and air navigation service provider, the FAA must be able to operate ahead of that rate of change. I will not allow FAA to be bureaucratic or to ever accept the inertia that can be so prevalent in large organizations. Our mantra must be continuous improvement, because what we did yesterday will simply not be good enough tomorrow.

It is such a privilege to stand before you today with the opportunity to lead the premier aviation authority in the world. Id like to thank the Secretary again for her support, advice, and leadership of this Department. Im grateful to the President for this nomination and the opportunity to serve our country again.

I am honored to be able to help write the next chapter in the history of the FAA. Im excited to come on board and roll up my sleeves, and am humbled to work with all of you and the team at the FAA. I believe our best days are ahead of us.

Thank you again for being here today.