Throughout 2014, observations and media-derived awareness of potentially hazardous flights by small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), called remotely piloted aircraft at the international level, have prompted consternation for some U.S. aviation safety professionals. At issue, two UAS subject matter experts told AeroSafety World, is whether unauthorized commercial sUAS flights, in particular, pose a significant risk to air transport, business aviation and other aviation activities.
Such flights are prohibited by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) unless the operator is one of a select few to have received an exemption from the Federal Aviation Regulations. The experts who spoke to ASW offered different approaches to address the risk that they see.
FAA Viewpoints
Insights into relevant FAA positions surfaced in the briefing by John Hickey, deputy associate administrator for aviation safety, at an Air Line Pilots Association, International…
