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 UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS 

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) continue to be the most dynamic growth sector within the 

aviation industry. Once enabled, commercial UAS will have the potential to be a significant 

component of the national airspace system. 

Integration of Civil UAS in the National Airspace System-Roadmap 

Unlike the manned aircraft industry, the UAS community does not have a set of standardized 

design specifications for basic UAS design that ensures safe and reliable operation in typical 

civilian service applications. Ultimately, the pace of integration will be determined by the ability 

of industry, the user community, and the FAA to overcome technical, regulatory, and 

operational challenges. 

The purpose of the Integration of Civil Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the National Airspace 

System Roadmap is to outline, within a broad timeline, the tasks and considerations needed to 

enable UAS integration into the NAS for the planning purposes of the broader UAS community. 

The Roadmap also aligns proposed Agency actions with the Congressional mandate in the 

2012 FAA Reauthorization. 

The five-year Roadmap will be updated annually and is intended to guide aviation stakeholders 

in understanding operational goals and aviation safety and air traffic challenges when 

considering future investments. 

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Comprehensive Plan 

The UAS Comprehensive Plan details work that has been accomplished, along with future 

efforts needed to achieve safe integration of UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS). 

The perspectives and information available from these individual activities create a framework 

and reveal an evolving capability for the integration of UAS into the NAS. 

The UAS Comprehensive Plan sets the overarching, interagency goals, objectives, and 

approach to integrating UAS into the NAS. Each partner agency will work to achieve these 

national goals and may develop agency-specific plans that are aligned to the national goals 

and objectives. 

Unmanned Aircraft System Test Site Program 

On February 14, 2012, Congress mandated the FAA to develop a test site program. These 

test sites will enable the development of a body of data and operational experiences to safely 

operate and integrate these aircraft into the NAS. 

The overall purpose of this test site program is to develop a body of data along with 

operational expertise to enable the safe operation of these aircraft in the NAS. FAA received 

25 applications from 24 states. The following map summarizes the locations of the six test 
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sites that were awarded on December 30, 2013. The first test site should be operational by 

July 2014 and the test sites will continue to operate until at least February 2017. 

UAS Spending Forecast 

Teal Group's 2013 World Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems annual sector study forecasts 

U.S. and international Unmanned Aircraft markets. Teal Group creates a market profile along 

with a forecast for military and civil markets for both the U.S. and outside the U.S. As 

summarized in the chart below, Teal Group forecasts significant spending growth. Total 

procurement and R&D is expected to increase from $5.2 billion to $11.6 billion annually over 

the next decade. Teal Group’s ten year forecast estimates total UAS spending worldwide at 

$89.5 Billion. 
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UAS Small Commercial Forecast 

Once the regulatory structure, operation requirements, and industry standards have been 

established, the commercial UAS markets will develop. Relatively inexpensive UAS systems 

under 55 pounds are economically viable for a commercial standpoint, and we expect that 

market demand for UAS will occur within the constraints of the regulatory and airspace 

requirements. 

Once able to legally operate, the FAA estimates roughly 7,500 commercial small UAS will be 

operating at the end of five years. This forecast is highly uncertain and is dependent on the 

regulatory structure finally adopted, and the technology and the cost structure of the industry 

as it evolves. The safe and efficient integration of UAS into the airspace has the potential for 

broad benefits for virtually all Americans. 

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2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

$ Billions

TEAL UAS Spending Forecast

Total R&D and Procurement