Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said in a speech last
Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Transportation will make public new
regulations allowing for UAV flights over people within the next couple of
weeks. Currently, UAV operators need to seek a waiver from the FAA if they want
to operate over people. The FAA has been working on the rule for several months,
but it was previously delayed by the Department of Defense and FBI over
security concerns.
The rule is expected to have a remote identification and
tracking requirement, key pieces of technology NAAA and many other manned
aviation groups deem necessary for the same operation of UAVs.
Even the Commercial Drone Alliance, a group made up of UAV
end-users, manufacturers and service providers, believe basic “rules
of the road” are required for all UAS, including the registration,
remote identification and remote tracking of all UAVs weighing above 250 grams.
The Alliance also believes the FAA needs to rethink the
metrics it uses to assess risks of drone flights over people. For
example, if inspecting infrastructure by drone instead of requiring someone to
climb a very tall structure, potentially improving safety outside the aviation
system, that should count toward the risk assessment. In effect, saying “no” to
a UAS is saying “yes” to the potentially more dangerous alternative.
In the same speech, Secretary Chao emphasized the FAA’s
focus on safe aircraft operations, particularly in light of the fatal Southwest
airlines incident earlier this year. "This year, safety came into national
focus with the tragic loss of life on Flight 1380," Chao said. "It
was a stark reminder that safety requires constant collaboration and vigilance.
The department's compliance philosophy encourages stakeholders to share
knowledge or incidences that otherwise would remain hidden so that everybody
can learn and benefit from what has happened. I think that philosophy has
served our country well." DOT "will continue our strong focus on
compliance because safety is measurable," Chao added. "The department
is committed to continue to drive down fatalities by promoting safety
management systems in all aspects of aviation."