search

UMD    AGRC






University of Maryland Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site Director Matt Scassero offered insights on how the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Small UAS Rule could affect commercial use of UAS, commonly known as drones.

In June, the FAA announced that it had finalized the first operational rules for routine commercial use of small UAS. The new rule, Part 107 of Chapter 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, will take effect in late August 2016 and will lay out new safety regulations for non-hobbyist operations of UAS weighing less than 55 pounds.

While the rules will limit commercial UAS flight to daytime hours and to within the UAS operator’s line of sight, Part 107 is designed to eliminate several of the current barriers to entry into commercial drone flight. 

In a recent Baltimore Sun article authored by Ian Duncan, Scassero called the rulings "hugely significant." He added that many of the provisions in the rules can be waived if operators can provide regulators with data to show they can fly safely without them.

Full text of the article is available online

Scassero also discussed the impact of Part 107 in an on-camera interview with Agence France-Presse.

"It's groundbreaking, it's historic," Scassero said. "It's the first actual set of rules that allows UAS to actually fly as part of the [National] Airspace System as opposed to flying as an exemption or as an exception to a rule."

The full video is available online



Related Articles:
UMD Risk Expert Contributes to National Academies Report on National Drone Policy
UAS Test Site Expert Available to Comment on UAS Integration Pilot Program

July 5, 2016


«Previous Story  

 

 

Current Headlines

Celebrating Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month: Karenna Buco

UMD Student Awarded Wings Foundation Scholarship

UMD Eclipse Ballooning a Success

Seven Maryland Students Receive Vertical Flight Foundation Scholarships

Eclipse Ballooning: Phenomenon Provides Rare Opportunities

Three UMD Students Receive SAMPE Leadership Awards

Alum Named Distinguished Professor of Aerospace Engineering at PennState

UMD Professor and Alum Among 2024 VFS Awardees

Agents of Positive Change: Highlighting Women Maryland Engineers

Celebrating Women in Aerospace Engineering: Christine Hartzell

 
 
Back to top  
AGRC Home Clark School Home UMD Home