AERIAL SYSTEMS
UNMANNED
AERIAL SYSTEMS
U
nmanned aerial systems
(UAS), aka drones, are rapidly
increasing in our nation’s
airspace, which raises
challenges for public safety.
Whether you are a novice drone pilot or
have many years of aviation experience,
rules and safety tips exist to help you fly
safely. Think of these tips as a preflight
checklist.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
has developed rules for both recreational
and commercial use (additional rules apply
for government use). You are considered a
recreational user if you fly your drone for
fun or as a hobby. Recreational users need
to know when and where they can fly and
to register their drones. Even if you are only
flying in your backyard, drones that weigh
more than 0.55 pounds must be registered.
For commercial use, drones that weigh
less than 55 pounds must follow Part
107 guidelines. A completely new set of
rules apply to UAS weighing more than
55 pounds. If your operation differs from
Part 107, you will need a waiver from the
FAA. You should also check state and local
regulations to determine if additional
restrictions apply.
Here is a summary of small UAS operational
limitations under Part 107:
•
•
•
Unmanned aircraft must weigh less
than 55 lbs (25 kg)
Only Visual line-of-sight (VLOS)
is allowed. The UAS must remain
within the VLOS of the remote
pilot in command and the person
manipulating the flight controls of the
UAS.
The UAS must remain close enough
for the remote pilot in command and
the person controlling the UAS to be
capable of seeing the aircraft with
vision unaided by any device.
•
•
UAS may not operate over any persons
not directly participating in the
operation, under a covered structure or
inside a covered stationary vehicle.
Daylight-only operations, or during
civil twilight (30 minutes before official
sunrise to 30 minutes after official
sunset) with appropriate anti-collision
lighting
•
• Must yield right of way to other aircraft
• A first-person view camera cannot
satisfy the “see-and-avoid” requirement
but can be used as long as the
requirement is satisfied in other ways.
• Maximum groundspeed of 100 mph
(87 knots)
•
•
May use a visual observer (VO) but this
is not required
Maximum altitude of 400 feet above-
ground level (AGL) or, if higher than
the 400 feet AGL, the UAS must
remain within 400 feet of a structure
The FAA’s B4UFly app assists users in
determining where they can and can’t fly.
For commercial use, you will need a Remote
Pilot Certificate. To apply, go to www.faa.
gov/training_testing/testing/media/test
centers.pdf.
Once you’ve passed your test, complete FAA
Form 8710-13 for a remote pilot certificate
and register your drone with the FAA.
For recreational use, a Remote Pilot
Certificate is not required. As previously
mentioned, drone registration is required.
You need to be at least 13 years old to
register your drone. For those under age 13,
they must have someone who is at least 13
years old register it for them.
For both commercial and recreational
use, once you have registered your UAS,
make sure you mark your drone with your
registration number in case it gets lost or
stolen. +
Minimum weather visibility of three
miles from control station
• Operations in Class G (uncontrolled)
airspace are allowed without Air
Traffic Control (ATC) permission. All
other classes of airspace require ATC
permission.
• No person may act as a remote pilot in
command or visual observer for more
than one unmanned aircraft operation
at one time.
•
• No operations from a moving aircraft
•
• No careless or reckless operations
No operations from a moving vehicle
unless the operation is over a sparsely
populated area
No carriage of hazardous materials
BY: ERIC P. WOKAS, CSP ARM
RISK CONTROL CONSULTANT
JGS INSURANCE
Eric Wokas has over 25 years of experience
as a risk management consultant working
for various major property/casualty
insurance carriers including Continental,
Zurich and Gerling as well as Aon an
international
insurance
brokerage
firm. At JGS Insurance Eric continues
to assist clients in development and
implementation of practical solutions in
reducing risk.
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