President Trump has appointed a new Deputy Administrator at the FAA. Washington veteran Dan Elwell was sworn in this week, taking on the second highest-ranking post at the FAA. The post was previously held by Obama appointee Michael Whitaker. Whitaker left his post a year ago, with two years left to run in the five year position. Elwell previously acted as the FAA … [Read more...] about Trump Appoints New FAA Deputy Administrator
Federal Drone Laws
Senate Committee Approves FAA Reauthorization Bill
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved their version of the FAA Reauthorization Bill this morning. Committee Chairman John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, said that the bill offers "many improvements" over last year's bill, including "safety and privacy concerns related to drones." While the Senate bill does not include privatization of … [Read more...] about Senate Committee Approves FAA Reauthorization Bill
The AIRR Act is Back – What’s in it For Drones?
News and Commentary. The FAA Reauthorization Extension runs out this fall - and Rep. Bill Shuster has reintroduced the AIRR Act as the "21st Century AIRR Act", the FAA Reathorization Package that calls for privatization of Air Traffic Control. Last year, the AIRR Act failed to pass the Senate and was eventually tabled; wrangling in Congress resulted in a down-to-the-wire … [Read more...] about The AIRR Act is Back – What’s in it For Drones?
What’s the FAA’s Drone Tracking ARC – and Who’s on it?
The FAA's "UAS Identification and Tracking Aviation Rulemaking Committee," [UAS-ID ARC] or the "ID and Tracking ARC", has been a hot topic on drone regulation forums. But what exactly is the ID and Tracking ARC, and who is on the committee? The FAA has recently published the ARC's charter and the list of members. Some background: when drone registration (now declared … [Read more...] about What’s the FAA’s Drone Tracking ARC – and Who’s on it?
The OIG is Auditing the FAA Again: Waiver Process Faces Scrutiny
The Office of the Inspector General of the US Department of Transportation will audit the FAA's drone integration efforts again. This time the waiver process comes under scrutiny. In a memorandum sent to the Director of Audit and Evaluation, the audit was announced: "Given the significant safety implications of integrating UAS into the National Airspace System and the … [Read more...] about The OIG is Auditing the FAA Again: Waiver Process Faces Scrutiny
