Skyports, a leading drone services provider, recently announced that it has partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) Aeronautics Division to demonstrate how it can link communities in the Cape Cod region using its drone services. This partnership stems from MassDOT’s need to find a solution for connecting some of its remote communities to
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA UAS Support Center: Faster Responses, More Streamlined Process
This week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced its Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Support Center Case Management System (CMS), designed to streamline how industry stakeholders’ questions are answered and provide responses in a more timely manner. This new process will use a Contact Customer Support form that allows the public as well as stakeholders to…
Remote ID for Drones: Effective Now
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Remote ID rule for drones (Part 89) became effective on April 21, 2021. Part 89 will likely increase commercial drone operations while promoting safety and security. With the drone industry predicted to grow to $63.6 billion by 2025 (particularly in agriculture, construction and mining, insurance, telecommunications, and law enforcement), new…
GAO Says FAA Should Provide More Information to Industry Stakeholders on UTM
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced last week that it will be working with industry leaders and public stakeholders to develop a traffic management system for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS or drones). UAS traffic management (UTM) requires a framework for systems to safely operate multiple UAS at once. The FAA wants to first establish operating…
Executive Order on Drones Expands to North Korea, Iran, and Russia
Last week, the Executive Order on Protecting the United States from Certain Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) expanded the U.S.-China drone controversy to North Korea, Iran, and Russia.
The Order also provides the Secretary of Commerce with the authority to designate “any other foreign nation, foreign area, or foreign non-government entity engaging in long-term patterns or…
FAA Issues Drones Rules for Safety
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued final rules for unmanned aircrafts (or drones) for remote identification and the operation of drones at night and above people.
The Remote Identification Rule (Remote ID Rule) will allow operators of small drones to fly over people and at night under certain conditions. The FAA hopes that these rules…
FAA Fines Drone Pilot $182,000
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an $182,000 fine to a drone pilot for multiple (continued) violations of Part 107 -at least 26 violations to be more precise. Between December 2019 and August 2020, the drone pilot flew his drone around Philadelphia in violation of FAA regulations, sometimes violating more than one part of the…
Guidance on Using Drones for Real Estate and Construction in Dense Cities: How Much Does the Public Value Privacy? (Part II)
As our previous post stated, the commercial use of drones, or small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), for urban real estate and construction has gained some traction with the passage of the New York City Council’s bill requiring the Department of Buildings (DOB) to study the feasibility of using sUAS to inspect building facades. With this…
FAA Waivers Can Help During COVID-19 Pandemic
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been granting drone flight waivers for certain restricted flights to help during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the FAA says that it is unlikely the waivers will extend beyond current stay-at-home restrictions. Thus far, the FAA has been granting waivers for companies using drones to deliver food and supplies in…
Package Delivery by Drone, Awaiting Final Federal Rules
Drone package delivery is a reality, albeit only in a few limited markets. However, once regulations permit, many companies are ready and awaiting large-scale operations. From medical prescriptions to fast food delivery, 2020 will likely see more and more delivery by drone, but it will take federal promulgation of final rules before the industry can…