FAA Type Certification for Unmanned Systems: An Op-Ed by AUVSI President Brian Wynne

The FAA policy on type certification for certain unmanned aircraft systems was recently released.  The policy provides a process by which unmanned aircraft may be certified for certain operations currently prohibited under part 107, such as flight over people or flight beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).  The new policy demonstrates flexibility, and an approach designed to accomodate the unique features of unmanned systems.  DRONELIFE is pleased to publish this editorial by industry leader Brian Wynne, President and CEO of AUVSI.

The following is a guest post by Brian Wynne, President and CEO AUVSI.  DRONELIFE neither accepts nor makes payments for guest posts.

On Friday, September 18th the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) released the final policy on type certification for certain unmanned aircraft systems. On behalf of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and our 5,000 members, I want to congratulate FAA Administrator Steven Dickson and Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao on continuing to show tremendous leadership to encourage growth in the unmanned sector.

A core tenet for our association and our industry is safety. This new, formalized type certification policy will allow our innovative member companies to continue thinking big, while balancing responsible operations. In fact, maintaining a high degree of safety is critical in advancing our industry, as we hope to grow services already offered via unmanned aerial systems (UAS), including package delivery services, assisting firefighting teams in managing blazes, and delivering live-saving drugs to opioid abuse victims.

With this new FAA type certification policy moving forward, unmanned aerial systems will continue to provide solutions to modern-day problems in an unprecedented fashion. And in the face of the novel coronavirus pandemic, unmanned systems hold untapped promise. This forward movement from the FAA will aid in the growth of our industry, and indicates to the UAS sector that our federal government encourages innovation, new ideas, and thinking creatively to answer current needs.

AUVSI commends the leadership FAA continues to show, and we look forward to hearing more about future FAA policymaking, including the forthcoming Remote ID and Operations Over People rules.

Brian Wynne is the President and CEO of AUVSI, the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of unmanned systems and robotics. AUVSI represents corporations and professionals from more than 60 countries involved in industry, government, and academia.