Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Certification for UAS
The
U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires airworthiness certification
to ensure appropriate safety standards in an aircraft’s design. An FAA type design approval indicates that a
safety evaluation of an aircraft’s design and its system has been conducted in
accordance with applicable airworthiness regulations. This certification process is more rigorous
than simply determining that an aircraft is airworthy (FAA, 2013, p. 25). FAA certification is vital to the future
integration of UAS operations in the National Airspace System (NAS).
The
FAA airworthiness certification covers all safety aspects of an aircraft’s
design. The development of a
sense-and-avoid (SAA) system for UAS to help maintain safe separation from
other air traffic has received a significant amount of media attention. However, SAA is only one aspect of the
overall safety features of an unmanned aircraft. Programs such as the FAA’s NextGen, command,
control, and communication (C3) links, and C3 frequency management will all be
significant factors in the future of these aircraft in the NAS. A UAS will most likely have met all the
criteria to safely operate in the NAS and demonstrated systems, such as SAA and
Automated Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) compliance, to attain FAA
airworthiness certification (Warwick, 2014).
U.S. Congress initially set September 2015 as a goal for integration of UAS
into NAS operations. In 2014, the FAA outlined
a plan for phased implementation approach to achieve this goal over the course
of five years. Disputes over the
definition of UAS integration between the FAA and Department of Transportation
inspectors added administrative delays to the process. A significant point of contention was safe versus
full integration (Warwick, 2014). To
date, the FAA has set regulations for recreational flight, exceptions for commercial
use, and plans for UAS pilot certification (FAA, 2016).
Potential
commercial UAS operators have been waiting for the FAA to finalize unmanned
aircraft regulations to initiate their aerial operations. Future operators agree that safety and
security of flight operation is vital for UAS integration into NAS
operations. SAA systems to de-conflict
with other air traffic and secure C3 links to prevent unauthorized control
inputs are some of the technological challenges that must be met (Business
Aviation Insider Staff, 2016). The
development of these technologies will be as important as the FAA finalizing
UAS regulations. Completion of these steps
will guide criteria for FAA airworthiness certifications.
References:
Business Aviation Insider Staff. (2016, February 1). Integrating UAS Into Business Aviation
Operations. National Business Aviation Association. Retrieved from https://www.nbaa.org/ops/uas/20160201-integrating-uas-into-business-aviation-operations.php
Federal Aviation Administration. (2016).
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)
Frequently Asked Questions/Help [Fact Sheet]. Retrieved from https://www.faa.gov/uas/faqs/#krp
Federal Aviation Administration. (2013).
Integration of Civil Unmanned
Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the National Airspace System (NAS) Roadmap (FAA
2012-AJG-502). Washington, DC: U.S.
Government Printing Office.
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