One of the biggest concerns about drones is their usage around airports. Several recent close calls have left the government scrambling to continue to catch up to the quickly evolving capabilities and usages of the flying cameras. The FAA is now testing a new system for detecting unauthorized drones near airports.
The FAA started testing such technology in tandem with the FBI, drone manufacturers, and academic researchers on May 2 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Using five varying types of rotorcraft and fixed wing drones, they conducted approximately 40 tests. While the results have not yet been released, it is indicative of the government's commitment not just to legislating drones, but to actively policing them.
Drones are a particularly thorny object to deal with, as traditional radar is not designed to detect them (else, it would also have to deal with thousands of other objects of a similar size, e.g. birds). Marke Gibson, the FAA Senior Advisor on UAS Integration, notes: “We face many difficult challenges as we integrate rapidly evolving UAS technology into our complex and highly regulated airspace.” The involvement of so many partners in the project is indicative of just what a complex problem this truly is.
What are your thoughts on the relationship between drones and aircraft? Let us know in the comments!
[via sUAS News]
Sigh. It's necessary to keep asshats from being stupid, but at the same time it's already overly burdensome, with some regulations seeming to be more reactionary than well-thought out.
I live in a very rural spot, but still the B4UFly app tells me there are two overlapping airport spaces within 5 miles. Curious, I set out to drive and recon these supposed airfields. Neither had a tower, one airfield was literally a forest where no aircraft could possibly take off or land, and the other was a working farm where again takeoff and landing was questionable if not impossible. I called both numbers provided, but neither of them were connected to a phone, so now unless I'm within a known working airport, I don't even bother calling - just stay under 400' and don't be stupid.
I have had the police called on me because I was supposedly "terrorizing endangered piping plovers", until I got into the police car and showed them my flight data which revealed I was at 300' when flying anywhere near the nesting grounds.
Drone operators already have it hard enough. I know we all need to have some rules to get along with other operators and the general public, but they need to be structured in a manner that doesn't prohibit non-commercial operators from enjoying the creative perspective a drone can afford us.
Those are there because if you're flying as a hobbyist, you are required to notify the "airport" if you're within five miles of it. I run into similar problems in my area (not rural at all) where I sit under about five overlapping five mile rings. I usually fly under Part 107, so I only need to worry about the one with a tower.
I believe in installing non-defeatable transponders in drones. This makes them clearly identified in location and position. Furthermore, assuming drones are registered in order to be used, the transponder-located drone can also automatically the identify it's owner. This alone would make a lot of idiots flying these things think twice about where they're going to fly them.
I couldn't agree more. That's exactly what I'd like to see as well. The best part is that ATC would have complete control what they see on their screens too.