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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 249 (Monday, December 30, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 106307-106308]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-31234]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 107

[Docket No. FAA-2024-2403]

Accepted Means of Compliance for Small Unmanned Aircraft Category 
2 and Category 3 Operations Over Human Beings; Virginia Tech Mid-
Atlantic Aviation Partnership (VT MAAP)

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notification of availability.

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SUMMARY: This document announces the acceptance of a means of 
compliance with FAA regulations for small unmanned aircraft (sUA) 
Category 2 and Category 3 operations over human beings. The 
Administrator finds that VT MAAP's ``Operation of Small Unmanned 
Aircraft Systems Over People,'' version 2.1, dated August 9, 2024, 
provides an acceptable means, but not the only means, of showing 
compliance with FAA regulations.

DATES: Effective December 30, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    FAA Contact: Kimberly Luu, Cabin Safety Section, AIR-624, Technical 
Policy Branch, Policy and Standards Division, Aircraft Certification 
Service, Federal Aviation Administration, 2200 South 216th Street, Des 
Moines, Washington 98198; telephone and fax 206-231-3414; email 
[email protected].
    VT MAAP Contact: Robert Briggs, UAS Chief Engineer, 1991 Kraft 
Drive, Suite 2018, Blacksburg, VA 24061, (540) 231-9373; 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 106308]]

Background

    Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, part 107, subpart D, 
prescribes the eligibility and operating requirements for civil sUA to 
operate over human beings in the United States. To be eligible for use, 
the sUA must meet the requirements of Sec.  107.120(a) for Category 2 
operations or Sec.  107.130(a) for Category 3 operations. These 
sections require the sUA to be designed, produced, or modified such 
that it will not cause injury to a human being above a specified 
severity limit, does not contain any exposed rotating parts that would 
lacerate human skin, and does not contain any safety defects. Section 
107.155 requires that means of compliance with Sec.  107.120(a) or 
Sec.  107.130(a) be established and FAA-accepted. Section 107.160 
requires an applicant to declare that sUA for Category 2 or Category 3 
operations meet an FAA-accepted means of compliance.

Means of Compliance Accepted

    This notice of availability serves as a formal acceptance by the 
FAA of VT MAAP's ``Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Over 
People,'' version 2.1, as an acceptable means of compliance, but not 
the only means of compliance with Sec. Sec.  107.120(a) and 107.130(a). 
Applicants may also propose alternative means of compliance for FAA 
review and possible acceptance.

Revisions

    Revisions to VT MAAP's ``Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft 
Systems Over People,'' version 2.1, will not be automatically accepted 
and will require further FAA acceptance for any revisions to be 
considered an accepted means of compliance.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on December 20, 2024.
Patrick R. Mullen,
Manager, Technical Policy Branch, Policy and Standards Division, 
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2024-31234 Filed 12-27-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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