The FAA's rules on domestic UAV flights
Connecting state and local government leaders
The agency is selecting sites for UAV tests that could eventually open up the airways, but for now there are two paths to getting authorization for unmanned flights.
Current FAA regulations offer two avenues for approval for UAV operations. First, operators can apply for an experimental airworthiness certificate for private-sector civil aircraft to do research and development, training and flight demonstrations.
Selection criteria
The Federal Aviation Administration has not released specifics about the activities that will be allowed in the six test sites it will select for integrating unmanned aerial vehicles into the civilian airspace, nor has it specified procedures for operations. Although FAA is being quiet about the six test sites, it has listed some of the criteria for selection, which includes:
The second avenue requires operators to obtain a Certificate of Authorization (COA) for public aircraft, which are those that are owned by the U.S. government or a state. Routine operation of UAVs over densely populated areas is prohibited.
According to FAA documentation, most COAs require coordination with an air traffic control facility. Additionally the FAA may require an active transponder on the aircraft if it operates in certain types of airspace. Finally, an observer on the ground or in an accompanying chase plane must maintain visual contact with the UAV.
There were 327 COAs active as of Feb. 15, 2013. COAs issued by the FAA:
2009 146
2010 298
2011 313
2012 257
Many of the COAs issued to date have gone to federal, state and local government agencies, as well as to universities conducting research, FAA says. The Department of Homeland Security, for example, uses drones for border monitoring. NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration use them for atmospheric and other research.
Virginia Tech is using drones for mapping and study of agricultural diseases, and scientists from several universities are researching pygmy rabbit habitats in eastern and central Idaho.
Current work on developing and deploying sense-and-avoid technologies could lead to wider use of drones, though that will also depend on FAA regulations.