On October 5, President Trump signed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, funding the Federal Aviation Administration through 2023. The law includes several new measures that could affect drone pilots in the U.S.
In this video from 51 Drones, details of the bill are explored, and he talks about some of the effects it may have on drone pilots. Though the video is a little long, the bill is even longer, and it's always good to stay up to date on what's happening in the legal sphere if you're a Part 107 certified or hobbyist pilot.
The new bill solidifies some FAA rules for hobbyist pilots, and implies that hobbyists may, in the future, need to pass an aeronautical knowledge and safety test just like those who are certified to fly them commercially. There are also some provisions that may allow the FAA to develop systems to remotely identify drone pilots and some new rules that will make the waiver application process easier and more transparent. These may be the some of the biggest potential change for sUAS users. Watch the video to get a feel of other changes that may be coming!
Congress had less than a week to read and discuss the 1,200+ page bill. It's all but guaranteed that none of them actually read it. If you want to read the bill in its entirety, you can find it here.
