A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposal to allow small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to operate in the nation’s airspace is a step in the right direction but is still too onerous for small firms, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) said April 24.
“While the proposed rule would reduce barriers for small UAS use for commercial, private and research purposes, it also includes significant operational restrictions that are a concern for small business,” SBA’s Office of Advocacy wrote in a letter to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta.
For instance, the requirement that operators keep small UAS in visual line of sight may soon be unnecessary due to advances in technology to allow unmanned aircraft to sense and avoid other aircraft, the SBA wrote. And while many of the proposed restrictions are designed to address “loss of positive control” concerns, the issue is being resolved by technology that automatically directs a UAS to hover, land or return to base if its data link is lost or disrupted, according to the SBA, which hosted an April 9 small business roundtable to solicit feedback on the FAA’s draft regulations.
Separately, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) urged the FAA to expand the proposed rule to allow both beyond-line-of-sight and nighttime operations.
“Beyond-line-of-sight operations would allow for farmers to use UAS to cover large fields and gather data that will increase crop yields and save money,” AUVSI said. “Nighttime operations would aid in disaster relief and search-and-rescue operations that take place outside of daylight hours.”
The draft regulations would allow UAS under 55 pounds to conduct non-recreational operations in the national airspace system. Currently, such activities are authorized by the FAA on a case-by-case basis, a process that many UAS operators complain takes too long.
The FAA published the proposed rule Feb. 23, and public comments were due April 24. An FAA spokeswoman told Defense Daily that the agency has received more than 3,800 comments. An estimated completion date for the final rule was not announced.