US Federal Aviation Administration announced New Rules for Drones

Listen to this article

The US FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) announced that it will issue a long-awaited rule to allow for small drones to fly over people and at night. It would bring the technology’s use for widespread commercial deliveries one step closer to becoming a reality. Moreover, the FAA is also requiring remote identification for most drones in order to address security concerns. The FAA Administrator Steve Dickson issued a statement and said, “The new rules make way for the further integration of drones into our airspace by addressing safety and security concerns. They get us closer to the day when we will more routinely see drone operations such as the delivery of packages”. So, drones will be required to have to flash anti-collision lights that can be seen up to 3 miles away, under the Operations Over People and at Night rule.

Moreover, the rotating parts of the drone should not be exposed because it could potentially lacerate human skin. It is noteworthy that the final rule also requires drone operators to carry their remote pilot certificate and identification at all times and to complete special training. However, the Remote ID rule will require all drones registered with the FAA to broadcast identification, location, and take-off information via radiofrequency. The final rule also removes the requirement that drones be connected to the internet to transmit location data. Remote ID will be required for drones weighing 0.55 pounds or more and for smaller drones under certain circumstances, such as flights over open-air assemblies. Drone manufacturers will have 18 months to start making drones with remote ID. The drone operators will have one year after that to start using drones with remote ID.

The final rules also allow operations over moving vehicles in some circumstances. Point to be noted that both rules will become effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. Drones represent the fastest-growing segment in the entire transportation sector. There are over 1.7 million drone registrations and 203,000 FAA-certificated remote pilots. Drones being used for commercial delivery have developed much slower than expected. The United Parcel Service has become the 1^st company in America in October 2019, to obtain governmental approval to operate a drone airline. A spokesperson for UPS said, “UPS Flight Forward appreciates the FAA’s latest rulemaking for unmanned aerial systems, which will advance the integration of drones into the National Airspace System. The framework is a critical step in allowing more complex UAS operations, with a focus on safety and security”.