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This hearing will serve as a legislative hearing for The National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Act, a bill that would provide for a coordinated Federal initiative to accelerate civilian unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility research and development to strengthen economic and national security. Attached is a discussion draft of the bill under consideration.

The Biden White House has released a policy report on its priorities for developing new aviation technologies, like electric vertical takeoff and landing planes (eVTOL), autonomous drone services, air taxis, and other forms of advanced air mobility (AAM) to preserve what it says is US leadership in the aeronautical sector, "made possible by American ingenuity and bolstered by the federal government."

More than 200 safety leaders from across the aviation industry met in specific breakout sessions Wednesday afternoon to discuss ways to enhance flight safety as part of the FAA's Aviation Safety Summit in McLean, Virginia. 

Pearland Police Department has been awarded a certificate of authorization (COA) to operate its drone as first responder (DFR) program beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operation, eliminating the need for human visual observers (VOs). This was achieved using Iris Automation's Casia G ground-based air surveillance system. 

Legislation that would ease construction of drone ports and limit local governmental oversight and restriction flew through the first of three Senate stops

With the entry into force of the U-space regulation last month, a big step has been taken in the rapidly developing drone industry. But is U-space the one-size-fits-all solution that this industry needs? For me, the short-term answer is "No." There are still many challenges that need to be addressed before we can deploy drones at scale and reap the associated economic and social benefits. Let me highlight a few.

Today, the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) commended Mississippi legislators for passing and Governor Reeves for signing into law legislation to ensure the state is ready for the future of advanced aviation.

The second month of the legislative session has come to an end, with every state meeting for their regular legislative session in February except for Louisiana and Florida. On February 26th, Virginia became the first state to adjourn, with Wyoming and Utah shortly to follow on March 3rd. 

The aircraft are already here. Pilot unions are preparing for battle. And the FAA is playing it cool. Autonomous flight is coming to civil aviation sooner than anyone thinks, and it may prove to be a surprising boon for flyover country.

Not enough American companies managing to comply with the Blue sUAS program perhaps? It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

This year's Worldwide Airport Lawyer's Association (WALA) Conference will take place in Paris, France, at Charles De Gaulle Airport.

Influential industry leaders will advocate for policies that enable drone operations in the United States to scale safely and securely

Senators Warner, Thune Introduce Legislation Supporting Integration of Drones into Airspace

David Boulter, serve as the Acting Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a role he has held for almost a year.

Why GAO Did This Study

Aviation will take a higher profile on Capitol Hill this year as the U.S. Congress returns to FAA reauthorization season. But unlike in the past, lawmakers are kicking off the reauthorization debate this year without user fees or air traffic control privatization taking center stage.

A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) calls for lawmakers to clarify tax exemptions for advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft and their associated infrastructure. 

If the FBI thinks drones are a threat, why doesn't congress?

Welcome to the world of "advanced air mobility." The notion of people and goods gliding across low altitudes is no longer future fantasy. Drone deliveries have already launched in Utah, and the FAA is expected to start certifying air taxis by 2024.

The second edition of CAP 722A released in December 2022 is intended to assist Applicants who are involved in the production of an Operational Risk Assessment (ORA) which will be used as supporting evidence for an application to the CAA for the operation of an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) in the Specific Category.

Explore the new rule, discover the OOP-approved drones and their benefits compared to waivers

This week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that the US and Korea will work together on advanced air mobility.

Sniffer Robotics, a leading environmental technology-enabled services company, announced the US EPA has broadly approved its SnifferDRONE method to monitor landfill methane emissions as an alternative to existing federal regulations.

In a first for North Dakota's Vantis network, the FAA has granted uAvionix approval to operate drone flights beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) in North Dakota.

Today, leading autonomous inspection and monitoring solution provider Percepto announced that its drone-in-a-box solution has been authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct highly automated Beyond Visual Line of Sight (HA BVLOS) inspection and monitoring operations at a solar power plant in Texas.

As the commercial drone industry scales up, so does the need for security solutions.  The counter drone industry goes hand in hand with commercial UAS, enabling legitimate commercial use by securing any sensitive areas.  In this post, the Chief Marketing Officer at one of the leading global counter drone technology firms predicts what the industry can expect in 2023.

Maybe you are considering giving someone a drone for Christmas? EASA is happy to see growing numbers of responsible drone pilots. So we thought we would offer a few hints.

Urban Movement Labs, in partnership with the City of Los Angeles, announced the publishing of Integrating Advanced Air Mobility: A Primer For Cities. Electric aircraft are on track to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2025, which opens a pathway for limited commercial deployment soon thereafter.

The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) has announced the launch of its "Drone Prepared" multi-state initiative, which will help lawmakers to prepare for the future increase in drones in order to reap economic, environmental and workforce benefits.

AUVSI was a sponsor and participant in the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) Global Conference and Exposition in Washington, D.C. where industry participants joined together with regulators and air traffic control representatives to discuss the latest trends and technology in air traffic control.

Ever since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) hinted its position for the means to approve pilots and aircraft certification for eVTOL aircraft, stakeholders have been waiting for an example of how this would work in practice.

The FAA signed a draft Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) document on November 21st that adds a "powered lift" aircraft to the existing types of air carrier operations, a move that would set the stage for air carrier regulations that would apply specifically to eVTOL and aerial mobility aircraft in the future.

The American Security Drone Act (ASDA) continues the halls of power and may come into being just in time for Christmas. I cannot see it passing as it would affect too many things. But it is worth being aware of. If it does go through you will not be able to fly a Chinese drone or something made up of Chinese parts for Government jobs.

Public safety and critical infrastructure UAS consulting group Skyfire Consulting announced that it has successfully assisted Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) in acquiring a Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) waiver under a Part 107 for the entire state of California.

Leading autonomous inspection and monitoring solution provider Percepto announced that it has been granted a nationwide Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) waiver by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA invites interested people to take part in the development of proposed airworthiness criteria for the Joby Model JAS4-1 powered-lift by sending written comments, data, or views. Please identify the Joby Model JAS4-1 and Docket No. FAA-2021-0638 on all submitted correspondence. The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the airworthiness criteria, explain the reason for a recommended change, and include supporting data.

At October's AUVSI NE UAS and AAM Summit, BVLOS flight was a major topic of conversation.  With no clear guidance on when the BVLOS rule will be released, companies must still rely upon a waiver process.

Business aviation flight departments need to prepare for advanced air mobility (AAM) operations and related technologies that are emerging. There are many hurdles that the introduction of advanced technologies must overcome, including public acceptance, regulations, and infrastructure requirements.

The AUVSI NE UAS and AAM Summit, held at the Northeastern University Innovation Campus, took place last week with an impressive lineup. Among the speakers offering a rare opportunity for an open discussion was Lt. Col. Thomas F. Meagher, Division Chief, AFWERX Prime, Department of the Air Force.  AFWERX is one of the military agencies most actively supporting and investing in new unmanned technology companies, helping startups reach commercial viability and scale through investment, testing, and other services.

https://www.suasnews.com/2022/10/droneup-partners-with-the-utah-department-of-transportation-division-of-aeronautics-for-air-mobility-urban-planning/

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today issued guidance on how to become an FAA-recognized community-based organization for recreational drone flying.

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) welcomed President Biden's signing into law this week of the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act, which will promote policies, procedures and programs to support the integration of this emerging aviation sector into America's transportation infrastructure.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB) agreed to partner on advanced air mobility certification and operations, the U.S. regulator said Tuesday.

Asia, along with North America, Europe and Australia, is expected to lead the world in eVTOL adoption. To provide insight into how certification of eVTOLs is rolling out in China, and how industry operation will be initiated there, experts from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and other organizations discussed six important things to know about China's plans to certify eVTOL aircraft.

Miami, Los Angeles, Orlando, Pittsburgh and other U.S. cities have started planning for urban air mobility, but most have not. While that delay could prove challenging as air taxi services begin operating, it is an opportunity to ensure that policies are consistent throughout the U.S. to make rolling out eVTOLs easier, said Suzanne Murtha, vice president of connected and automated vehicle technology at AECOM.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today released new design guidelines for vertiports, infrastructure that will support Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) aircraft. The design standards will serve as the initial step to provide key information for airport owners, operators and infrastructure developers to begin development of facilities that will support operations of AAM aircraft that are electrically powered and take-off and land vertically. 

Developers of new eVTOLs said their plans to achieve type certification for aircraft remain on track in the wake of the FAA's recent move to approve aircraft as a special class under FAR 21.17(b) instead of existing Part 23 rules. However, executives participating in a panel during Honeywell's Air Mobility Summit last week expressed concern that the U.S. agency still has to address associated operational and training aspects under a to-come special FAR.

Congressional leaders are planning to provide "clear direction" to the FAA on preparing for the emerging advanced air mobility (AAM) segment in the upcoming FAA reauthorization bill, House aviation subcommittee leaders said today.

The U of A's Master of Science in Operations Management Program and Bentonville Schools collaborated to incorporate workforce education opportunities in advanced air mobility.

Commercial UAV Expo is hosting a record-breaking crowd in Las Vegas this year.  At the first keynotes of the show this morning, a lineup of important industry figures gave attendees the insights they've been waiting for  – including  the FAA plan for drone regulation in the coming year.