![]() |
If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
![]()
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbc...702040341/1006
Police drone plan draws fire Palm Bay wants to fly device; FAA, pilot group raise red flags BY J.D. GALLOP PALM BAY - -- Police Chief William Berger vows to deploy an unmanned aerial vehicle despite contentions from the Federal Aviation Administration and a national pilots' association that his department must first get federal approval before doing so. Berger said the $30,000, 8-pound aircraft -- which he likens to a model plane and would use to aid police on the ground -- does not fall under FAA regulations. And he said he is prepared to seek assistance from Brevard County's congressional representatives, if necessary. .... FAA officials were steadfast in saying Palm Bay's unmanned vehicle should be grounded until further notice from the federal agency. "We control the airspace, and we control who can fly what, where," said Les Dorr, a spokesman for the federal agency. "Our primary concern is the safety of the airways. If (the police department) starts using the unmanned vehicle then they run the risk of being told 'no, they can't do it.' " The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department also ran afoul of FAA rules after attempting to put its own unmanned vehicle into service last year. Their unmanned vehicle remains grounded. But CyberDefense Systems, a St. Petersburg-based company that markets the Cyberbug said the aircraft -- like a model plane -- flies below 400 feet and would not interfere with flight patterns. Model planes -- like those used by hobbyists -- have flight and range restrictions that typically don't interfere with air traffic, company and FAA officials said. Bill Edelstein, a licensed helicopter pilot and Melbourne Beach resident, said he was concerned about the low-flying aircraft's interaction with helicopters. http://www.faa.gov/news/fact_sheets/...fm?newsId=6287 The FAA's Role: Safety First The FAA's main concern about UAV operations in civil airspace is safety. It is critical that these vehicles don't come too close to aircraft carrying people or compromise the safety of anyone on the ground. When the military or a government agency wants to fly a UAV in civil airspace, the FAA examines the request and issues a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA), generally based on the following principles: The COA authorizes an operator to use defined airspace for a specified time (up to one year, in some cases) and includes special provisions unique to each operation. For instance, a COA may include a requirement to operate only under Visual Flight Rules (VFR). Most, if not all, COAs require coordination with an appropriate air traffic control facility and require the UAV to have a transponder able to operate in standard air traffic control mode with automatic altitude reporting. To make sure the UAV will not interfere with other aircraft, a ground observer or an accompanying "chase" aircraft must maintain visual contact with the UAV. http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n172/a08.html Video: http://www.news14charlotte.com/conte...sp?ArID=114414 |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
![]() |
||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
CVN 76 to deploy to WESTPAC soon | [email protected] | Naval Aviation | 11 | February 4th 07 01:39 PM |
X-45A unmanned combat air vehicle 060922-F-1234P-103.jpg | [email protected] | Aviation Photos | 0 | November 19th 06 09:27 PM |
How do you deploy the Quad Tiltrotor? | Henry J Cobb | Naval Aviation | 2 | September 17th 06 06:39 PM |
Aerial Photographs/Aerial Patrols | [email protected] | Piloting | 10 | December 15th 04 01:43 PM |