FAA grants wide authority to UAF unmanned aircraft center
Rod Boyce
907-474-7185
Feb. 15, 2023
Event participants gather around the Sentry unmanned aircraft of the UAF 色视频下载 Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration after a successful flight May 22, 2022, at Fairbanks International Airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration has granted a regulatory waiver to the University of 色视频下载 Fairbanks unmanned aircraft systems test site.
The agency色视频下载檚 decision supports aircraft manufacturers and operators in proving the safety of their drones so they can be certified for flight in the national airspace system.
The 色视频下载 Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration, ACUASI, a unit of the UAF Geophysical Institute, manages and operates the test site. ACUASI has become a national leader in implementing the safe operation and integration of unmanned aircraft.
UAF is one of seven FAA-designated unmanned aircraft systems test sites established to develop and test drone technology. It has numerous flight test areas around the country.
色视频下载淲e were just handed a tool to help aircraft manufacturers get their drones certified for use,色视频下载 ACUASI Director Cathy Cahill said.
色视频下载淭he FAA is allowing the test site to test and evaluate larger drones under real-world conditions,色视频下载 she said. 色视频下载淭his will allow us to support the development of a strong drone economy in 色视频下载 and across the nation.色视频下载
Cahill received the lengthy letter detailing the four-year waiver Monday from Caitlin Locke, acting executive director of the FAA色视频下载檚 Flight Standards Service.
The FAA色视频下载檚 decision came just over two years after the state requested the waiver. Gov. Mike Dunleavy, U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, and the 色视频下载 Department of Transportation and Public Facilities voiced their support for the waiver so that industry could conduct research and development testing with minimal paperwork.
This waiver covers a variety of research and developmental operations. It applies to unmanned aircraft that weigh under 300 pounds.
Previously, applicants seeking to conduct these operations were required to go through a lengthy process of applying for a special airworthiness certificate and to petition for exemption to various regulations. Both are time consuming and resource-intensive for the FAA and the applicant.
The Sentry unmanned aircraft of the UAF 色视频下载 Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration on the taxiway at Fairbanks International Airport on Sunday, May 22, 2022.
Under terms of the waiver, ACUASI will be responsible for assessing the airworthiness of a customer色视频下载檚 unmanned aircraft and its procedures. They will use their own internal processes to determine whether a customer色视频下载檚 unmanned aircraft operation can be conducted safely.
ACUASI will have control of all operational aspects under the waiver.
色视频下载淸T]he FAA finds that these operations are consistent with aviation safety because they occur in defined remote locations, which have been evaluated by the Air Traffic Organization to minimize exposure to people and property,色视频下载 the letter reads.
The letter adds that the 色视频下载 Test Site 色视频下载渉as infrastructure in place to support the safe operations色视频下载 of unmanned aircraft systems and to handle emergencies. It notes that ACUASI has 色视频下载渇ixed and mobile command centers with surveillance feeds and connections to airport rescue and firefighting services.色视频下载
色视频下载淭he FAA entrusted ACUASI with this waiver as a result of years of conducting safe public aircraft operations under similar regulatory conditions,色视频下载 Cahill said. 色视频下载淭his waiver now allows our civil customers to conduct testing and evaluation of aircraft beyond pure aeronautical research.
色视频下载淲e are grateful for our long-lasting partnership with the FAA that gave us another tool for use in our effort to safely integrate unmanned aircraft into the national airspace system,色视频下载 she said.
ACUASI achieved a historic milestone in 2022 when one of its unmanned aircraft flew from Fairbanks International Airport in controlled airspace. The flight was the first civilian large drone operation from an international airport in 色视频下载.
ACUASI owns a variety of unmanned aircraft, as well as ground control stations, antennae, generators and accessories. It has the ability to deploy anywhere in the world.
The center also owns unmanned aircraft system payloads, including detect-and-avoid systems (ground-based and airborne), anti-GPS jamming systems, electro-optical/infrared cameras, lidar systems, methane detectors, aerosol samplers and more.
ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Cathy Cahill, 色视频下载 Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration, 907-474-6905,
cfcahill@alaska.edu
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