US airspace gradually opening up to UAS

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is making progress on the development of regulatory framework to enable the safe integration of small UAS into National Airspace System (NAS) operations, with an increasing number of UAS platforms being cleared for operations from test site areas.

On 18 November, UAV Solutions announced that its Talon 240 UAS has been cleared to fly from the Crisfield Municipal Airport, following the award of a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) from the FAA for the University of Maryland (UMD) Test Site.

Bill Davidson, CEO, UAV Solutions, said: ‘Use of the Talon 240 to demonstrate safe and responsible integration of UAS into the airways will contribute to the advancement of the use of this technology in the NAS.’

The Talon 240 is an electric powered UAS with endurance of 2.5 to 3.5 hours and a payload capacity of 12lbs with nose mount and belly pan payload positions. The 136lb Talon 240, with its lightweight carbon fiber and Kevlar design, has a 20ft wingspan and a modular battery compartment. The UAS can be launched by a pneumatic aircraft launcher or from the back of a pick-up truck, while landing of the UAS is achieved via belly recovery.

Aetos Group Inc (AGI) has also requested approval from the FAA for the Aeryon Scout and Aeryon SkyRanger small UAS (SUAS) to be cleared to fly under the Section 333 Exemption.

AGI is seeking approval to operate the UAS for aerial inspection and environmental monitoring of chemical plants.

Section 333 ‘Special Rules for Certain UAS’ provides flexibility for authorising safe civil operations in the NAS by granting the Secretary of Transportation the authority to determine whether airworthiness certification is required for a UAS to operate in the NAS. This framework will provide operators who wish to pursue safe and legal entry into the NAS a competitive advantage in the UAS marketplace, discouraging illegal operations and improving safety. It is anticipated that this activity will result in significant economic benefits, and the FAA Administrator has identified this as a high priority project to address demand for civil operation of UAS for commercial purposes.

If granted approval, AGI will deploy the Aeryon UAS to provide high-resolution imagery and data of infrastructure including flare stacks, elevated pipelines, tanks and columns, and facility photogrammetry. The data will be used to create products that maintenance and reliability engineers use to make decisions.

Dave Kroetsch, president and CEO, Aeryon Labs, said: ‘AGI has been operating the Aeryon SUAS platform successfully for years. They have the expertise in aviation, robotics, as well as inspection and monitoring that ensures they can provide, under Section 333 exemption, the end-to-end solution that is required by their clients.’

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