AASHTO Journal - USDOT Proposes Rule for Long-Range Drone Operations

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently unveiled a notice of proposed rulemaking or NPRM regarding “Beyond Visual Line of Sight” or BVLOS operations to aid in the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones into the national airspace system.

[Above photo by the USDOT]

USDOT noted that this NPRM also includes updated requirements for manufacturers, operators, and drone traffic-management services to keep BVLOS drones safely separated from each other and from manned aircraft. The agency added that the proposed rule relates to an executive order issued by President Trump in June entitled “Unleashing American Drone Dominance.”

[Editor’s note: The video below by the South Carolina Department of Transportation highlights a partnership between the agency and Clemson University regarding the use of drones to make bridge inspections safer, more cost effective, and less intrusive to the traveling public.]

Spearheaded by the Federal Aviation Administration, which partnered with the Transportation Security Administration to develop it, the NPRM eliminates the requirement for drone operators to obtain individual waivers or exemptions to use their aerial devices outside their visual line of sight.

Said waivers were also approved on a case-by-case basis, making the process cumbersome, noted Sean Duffy, USDOT secretary, in a statement.

“Our new rule will reform outdated regulations that were holding innovators back while also enhancing safety in our skies,” he said in a statement. “From drones delivering medicine to unmanned aircraft surveying crops, this technology will fundamentally change the way we interact with the world.”

By eliminating those waiver requirements for BVLOS operations, FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said this proposal will significantly expand the use-case for drone technologies in areas such as manufacturing, farming, energy production, filmmaking, and the movement of products – including lifesaving medications.

“Normalizing BVLOS flights is key to realizing drones’ societal and economic benefits,” he added. “Package delivery, agriculture, aerial surveying, public safety, recreation, and flight testing are just some of the uses we expect to see as we enable these innovative technologies while maintaining the safety of our National Airspace System.”