News and Updates – FAA Changes Environmental Review of CLT Runway

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has decided to convert the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed new runway and other projects at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT) to an Environmental Assessment (EA). A major change to the length of the proposed new runway and the resulting decrease in potential significant environmental impacts prompted the decision.

In October 2018, the FAA completed a Runway Length Analysis as part of the EIS process. The analysis determined that a shorter runway length of 10,000 feet is adequate to accommodate aircraft that will operate at the airport in the future. The original proposed runway length was 12,000 feet.

The EA also will cover other projects including the proposed addition of 12 gates each to Concourses B and C, expansion of the aircraft parking aprons at the concourses, and a new North Parking Garage.

CLTs 2016 Airport Capacity Enhancement Program (ACEP), identified and recommended the projects to meet future airfield and terminal capacity demands. Operational data gathered during the EIS process confirmed the need for the new development.

The proposed shorter runway would allow West Boulevard to be relocated on existing roadways closer to the airports operational area, which would lessen the impact on the community.

The City of Charlotte, which operates the airport, will produce the EA in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). It can complete the EA in about one year. The public will have the opportunity to review and comment on a draft EA, and comments will be included in the final document. The FAA will issue a final environmental determination and Record of Decision on the EA.

Throughout the environmental process, the airport will keep the public fully informed of and involved in the EA as it moves forward.

The FAA posted a notice in the Federal Register today announcing the decision.

News and Updates – Mark Your Calendar for the 2019 UAS Symposium

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) will co-host the 4th Annual FAA Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Symposium on June 3-5, 2019 at the Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD.

In both plenary and breakout sessions, the Symposium will bring together representatives from the FAA, other government agencies, industry and academia to discuss the latest issues related to the increasingly diversified uses of unmanned aircraft and their integration into the National Airspace System.

Like last year, the FAA will operate an on-site resource center to help owners and operators with questions about airspace authorizations, waivers, the Part 107 small UAS rule, changes in hobbyists drone operations, and other policies and regulations.

This is your chance to get up-to-the-minute information on government regulations and to participate in hands-on collaborative discussions with the most notable experts in the UAS field. Interest in the Symposium is greater than ever, so register now.

News and Updates – FAA Establishes Restrictions on Drone Operations over DOJ and DOD Facilities

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At the request of its federal security partners, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is using its existing authority under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 99.7 Special Security Instructions to address concerns about drone operations over national security sensitive facilities by establishing temporary unmanned aircraft system (UAS) specific flight restrictions.

Information on the FAA Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), which defines these restrictions, and all of the currently covered locations, can be found at the UAS Data Display System, which provides an interactive map, downloadable geospatial data, and other important details. A link to these restrictions is also included in the FAAs B4UFLY mobile app.

Additional, broader information regarding flying drones in the National Airspace System, including frequently asked questions, is available on the FAAs UAS website.

In cooperation with Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Defense (DOD), the FAA is establishing additional restrictions on drone flights up to 400 feet within the lateral boundaries of the following Federal facilities:

  • Federal Correctional Institution Allenwood Medium in Allenwood, PA
  • Federal Correctional Institution Beaumont Medium in Beaumont, TX
  • Federal Correctional Institution Butner Medium I in Butner, NC
  • Federal Correctional Institution Butner Medium II in Butner, NC
  • Federal Correctional Institution Coleman Medium near Sumterville, FL
  • Federal Correctional Institution Florence in Florence, CO
  • Federal Correctional Institution Forrest City Medium in Forrest City, AR
  • Federal Correctional Institution Hazelton near Bruceton Mills, WV
  • Federal Correctional Institution Lompoc in Lompoc, CA
  • Federal Correctional Institution Oakdale I in Oakdale, LA
  • Federal Correctional Institution Oakdale II in Oakdale, LA
  • Federal Correctional Institution Petersburg near Hopewell, VA
  • Federal Correctional Institution Pollock in Pollock, LA
  • Federal Correctional Institution Terre Haute in Terre Haute, IN
  • Federal Correctional Institution Tucson in Tucson, AZ
  • Federal Correctional Institution Victorville Medium I in Victorville, CA
  • Federal Correctional Institution Victorville Medium II in Victorville, CA
  • Federal Correctional Institution Yazoo City Medium in Yazoo City, MS
  • Federal Detention Center Honolulu in Honolulu, HI
  • Federal Detention Center Houston in Houston, TX
  • Federal Detention Center Miami in Miami, FL
  • Federal Detention Center Philadelphia in Philadelphia, PA
  • Federal Detention Center SeaTac near Seattle, WA
  • Federal Medical Center Carswell near Fort Worth, TX
  • Federal Medical Center Fort Worth in Fort Worth, TX
  • Federal Medical Center Rochester in Rochester, MN
  • Metropolitan Correctional Center Chicago in Chicago, IL
  • Metropolitan Correctional Center New York in New York City, NY
  • Metropolitan Correctional Center San Diego in San Diego, CA
  • Medical Center for Federal Prisoners Springfield in Springfield, MO
  • Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn in Brooklyn, NY
  • Metropolitan Detention Center Guaynabo in Guaynabo, PR
  • Metropolitan Detention Center Los Angeles in Los Angeles, CA
  • Fort Detrick in Frederick, MD
  • Fort Gordon near Augusta, GA
  • Fort Lee near Richmond, VA
  • Holston Army Ammunition Plant near Kingsport, TN
  • McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in McAlester, OK
  • Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Radford, VA
  • Joint Base McGuire near Trenton, NJ
  • Pearl Harbor Naval Defense Sea Area in Honolulu, HI

These changes, which have been highlighted by FAA NOTAM FDC [9/2586], are pending until they become effective on February 26. Note that there are only a few exceptions that permit drone flights within these restrictions, and they 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 and criminal charges.

The FAA is continuing to consider additional requests by eligible federal security agencies for UAS specific flight restrictions using the Agencys 99.7 authority as they are received. Additional changes to these restrictions will be announced by the FAA as appropriate.

News and Updates – FAA Modifies LAANC Service Provider Request

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WASHINGTON The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has modified its process to request new service suppliers for the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC pronounced LANCE).

The FAA began considering applicants beyond the current 14 suppliers on January 7. The initial application period has now been extended to increase participation, and the agency has revised all key dates this year for the application process. Also, there will now be only one application period in 2019 instead of two.

A major reason for the changes is the 2018 FAA Reauthorization Act, under which the Agency is tasked with expanding the LAANC capability. Existing and potential unmanned aircraft system service suppliers are expected to broaden the scope of their applications to include these changes, so the entire selection process will take 10 months, not five as previously announced.

The new schedule is:

  • January 7 March 18
    Application period
  • March 19 May 26
    FAA submission review
  • May 27 August 16
    Technical interviews
  • August 17 October 21
    Formal selection and startup

Interested parties should reviewinformation on the application process.

LAANC provides near real-time processing of airspace authorization and notification requests for Part 107 drone operators nationwide. The system is designed to automatically approve most requests to operate in specific areas of controlled airspace below designated altitudes.

Through approved LAANC UAS Service Suppliers, drone operators can interact with industry developed applications and obtain near real-time authorization from the FAA. Requests are checked against multiple airspace data sources in the FAA UAS Data Exchange such as temporary flight restrictions, NOTAMS and the UAS Facility Maps. If approved, pilots receive their authorization in near-real time.

News and Updates – FAA Makes Major Drone ID Marking Change

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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has posted a rule in the Federal Register requiring small drone owners to display the FAA-issued registration number on an outside surface of the aircraft. Owners and operators may no longer place or write registration numbers in an interior compartment. The rule is effective on February 25. The markings must be in place for any flight after that date.

When the FAA first required registration of small drones in 2015, the agency mandated that the registration marking be readily accessible and maintained in readable condition. The rule granted some flexibility by permitting the marking to be placed in an enclosed compartment, such as a battery case, if it could be accessed without the use of tools.

Subsequently, law enforcement officials and the FAAs interagency security partners have expressed concerns about the risk a concealed explosive device might pose to first responders upon opening a compartment to find a drones registration number. The FAA believes this action will enhance safety and security by allowing a person to view the unique identifier directly without handling the drone.

This interim final rule does not change the original acceptable methods of external marking, nor does it specify a particular external surface on which the registration number must be placed. The requirement is that it can be seen upon visual inspection of the aircrafts exterior.

The FAA has issued this requirement as an Interim Final Rulea rule that takes effect while also inviting public comment. The FAA issues interim final rules when delaying implementation of the rule would be impractical, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest. In this case, the agency has determined the importance of mitigating the risk to first responders outweighs the minimal inconvenience this change may impose on small drone owners, and justifies implementation without a prior public comment period.

The FAA will consider comments from the public on this Interim Final Rule, and will then review any submissions to determine if the provisions of the ultimate Final Rule should be changed. The 30-day comment period will end on March 15, 2019. To submit comments, go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for RIN 2120-AL32.

As Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao promised last month, today the FAA also posted proposed new rules to let drones fly routinely at night and over people, and to further integrate them safely into the nations airspace. The comment period for these proposals begins tomorrow and will end April 15.