Source: https://forum.phantomhelp.com/t/faa-request-for-input/2827
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 18:29:25
Document Index: 438268933

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 107', 'art 107', 'art 107', 'art 107', 'art 107', 'art 107']

FAA Request for input - General Discussion - DJI Drone Help Forum
FAA Request for input
bentbrent April 10, 2019, 12:58am #1
The FAA is proposing new drone regulations. They are asking for comments from drone operators, particularly commercial and fleet operators. ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY APRIL 15th. Any thoughts on what suggestions we should submit? I am just a hobby operator, and don’t fly as much as I would like, because of all the restricted airspace close to me. I certainly don’t want more cumbersome restrictions, but I know that more regulation is necessary.
msinger April 10, 2019, 11:41am #2
More details can be found here in the DJI newsroom:
https://www.dji.com/newsroom/news/dji-urges-drone-operators-to-comment-on-proposed-faa-rules
msinger April 10, 2019, 12:41pm #3
I reviewed the proposed rules and summarized it into these main points:
Current FAA regulations do not permit Part 107 operators to fly at night without a waiver
Current FAA regulations do not permit Part 107 operators to fly over a person who is not directly participating in the operation without a waiver
This rule proposes to allow routine operations over people without a waiver or exemption if:
(1) The drone weights less than 0.55 pounds. The FAA determined that small unmanned aircraft weighing less than 0.55 pounds pose a low risk of injury when operating over people.
(2) For drone weighing more than 0.55 pounds, the FAA proposes a set of performance-based requirements that would allow operation over people if the manufacturer can demonstrate that the injury would be below a certain severity threshold if the drone crashed into a person. The manufacturer would be responsible for designing the drone to meet the following:
Not to result in an injury as severe as the injury that would result from a transfer of 11 ft-lbs of kinetic energy from a rigid object
Drone would not have exposed rotating parts that could lacerate human skin
No drone could be operated over people if it has an FAA-identified safety defect
The manufacturer would be required to prove to the FAA that the drone met these injury threshold requirements
(3) For drone weighing more than 0.55 pounds, a second higher injury threshold category requires:
Not to result in an injury as severe as the injury that would result from a transfer of 25 ft-lbs of kinetic energy from a rigid object
Prohibits operation over any open-air assembly of people
Operations would have to be within or over a closed or restricted-access site and anyone within that site would have to be notified that a drone may fly over them.
For operations not within or over a closed or restricted-access site, the drone may travel over people, but it may not hover in place over people.
Additional requirements for manufacturers
Each manufacturer, including anyone who assumes the role of manufacturer after making modifications, provides remote pilot operating instructions to anyone to whom it sells, transfers, or otherwise provides the drone for use. The operating instructions would address what types of payloads are permissible.
Any manufacturer holding an FAA-accepted Declaration of Compliance allow the FAA to inspect the manufacturer’s facilities, technical data, and small UAS covered by that Declaration of Compliance to determine compliance.
The manufacturer must allow the FAA to witness any tests required for compliance.
A manufacturer holding an FAA-accepted Declaration of Compliance must establish a process to notify the public and the FAA of safety defects or other issues that would render the small UAS ineligible for operations over people.
The FAA would consider not only the original person or company that designed or built a drone to be a manufacturer, but also anyone who modifies it after the FAA accepted its Declaration of Compliance. For example, if an individual bought a small unmanned and modified it in a way that would change its performance so that it would not meet the requirements stated above, that person would be considered a manufacturer and would be required either to requalify the drone or cease operations over people.
Part 107 operators will be prohibited from flying over people in moving vehicles without a waiver.
Part 107 operators will be required to present his or her remote pilot certificate and identification in response to a request from the Administrator; an authorized representative of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB); any Federal, State, or local law enforcement officer; and any authorized representative of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
The recurrent Part 107 knowledge testing requirement will be replaced with a requirement to complete an online recurrent training, which the FAA may tailor to address any knowledge areas in which the remote pilot needs improvement.
Any thoughts on what suggestions we should submit?
If you’re not flying under Part 107 (and never plan to) and don’t want to stop the FAA from forcing manufacturers to make their drones safer for operations that involve flying over people, then there is likely no benefit to you commenting.