On March 9, 2012 the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) gave notice of its intention to identify six test ranges/sites as part of a pilot program to integrate unmanned aircraft systems (“UAS”) into the National Airspace System (“NAS”) in response to the mandate of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (the “Act”). To meet the Act’s timeline, as well as increased demand from the UAS community, the FAA intends to designate UAS test sites based on applications submitted by interested government agencies, as well as private institutions and organizations. In an effort to safely and efficiently integrate UAS into the NAS, the FAA is soliciting public comments on the development of UAS test site requirements, designation standards, and oversight activities.
The period for this request for comment has been limited to 60 days to ensure that the FAA is able to make informed decisions based on public input, while still meeting the deadlines set forth in the Act.
For further questions concerning the FAA’s notice, or assistance in formulating comment in response to the FAA’s request, please contact Glenn Wicks or Ronce Almond at (202) 457-7790.