University of Maryland Cyclocopter. AUVSI Photo.

by Scott Kesselman



Yesterday, at the University of Maryland, UAS industry leaders met for a commercial vertical takeoff and landing and precision delivery symposium.



Headlined by expert speakers Earl Lawrence from the Federal Aviation Administration; Rose Mooney, director of the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership; Dr. Nick Roy of MIT and Google[x]’s Project Wing; Dr. Parmimal Koparkekar of NASA; and John Langford, CEO of Aurora Flight Sciences, the day’s speeches concluded with an all-inclusive panel discussion moderated by AUVSI CEO Michael Toscano.



There was clear excitement about the opportunities surrounding the field. The FAA’s Lawrence repeated his takeaway throughout the day, “We are open for business,” urging users to bring in their projects so the administration can continue to collect as much data as possible.



Mooney reiterated this point by discussing how the six FAA-approved test sites provide a great opportunity to gain information and experience on integrating UAS into the national airspace.



Lawrence noted that in September, the FAA issued order 8000.372 to establish policy and procedures for allowing designated airworthiness representatives to issue special experimental category airworthiness certificates for research and development and crew training at the test sites.  



This would allow for easier access to the air; however, the FAA says it needs people that are committed to going to training to be a DAR. After strong initial interest only two people showed up at an information session. The first training course is on 28 Oct.



Lawrence also alluded to a new advisory circular for type certification to come out early next year. So far only the Insitu ScanEagle and AeroVironment Puma UAS have been approved for restricted category type certification and still require a certificate of authorization to operate.



After sensing palpable frustration with the delay of the small UAS rule, Lawrence assured people that it was already out of the FAA’s hands and should still be expected by late this year. He warns that people will be “pleased, surprised and upset” and to remember that only proposed rulemaking will be released for public comment to be followed by further drafting.



Until that process plays out, he optimistically portrayed Section 333 exemptions as a solid placeholder for the rule and a great opportunity even though the secretary of transportation must review each case individually and the exemptions are only temporary until rulemaking supersedes it.



Frustrated with the need for exemptions instead of rule making, Langford says, “For all the work going into the 333s, you could have just gotten a rule out there.”



Lawrence explained that it was not under the purview of the FAA to propose and push forward projects in the vertical. It is only concerned with safety, and it is up to companies to challenge the system and perfect the practice to show the safety and economic potential of this disruptive technology.



As questions flew around the room, the overall message pervaded that it will require collaboration. It is up to the industry to drive progress.



Dr. Roy said that the U.S. is falling behind in the field and complained about decreased funding over the last 10 years to support graduate student researchers in his lab. He points out that as his program shrinks he is sending fewer trained students into the industry.



This led to the panelists to discuss alternate sources of funding for research in the field like the NASA project for a UAS Traffic Management System, which Kopardekar says will take around five years for basic low-altitude integration into the airspace and upwards of 10 to 15 years before full scale integration. 



Congress funds the current Air Traffic Control system, but UAS research and integration may allow for an opportunity to secure private or other alternate forms of funding.



For now Kopardekar says they can use tools like geofencing and weather prediction to provide for the safest early integration, but before full-scale integration can happen, there have to be more advances in sense-and-avoid technologies.



Many of these advances are going to come out of colleges and universities, especially those operating with a test site. There is a lower access ceiling for university students and more time and resources for innovation as long as programs continue to find funding.



Several University of Maryland students demonstrated two of their experimental UAS, including a quadrotor biplane, which has vertical takeoff but improved forward flight over traditional rotary craft, and an agile cyclocopter, which is pictured above.



With a mix of optimism and frustration hanging over everyone’s head it became clear that the industry — including private sector, civil authorities and universities — has a responsibility to drive innovation, especially after Rose Mooney predicted the industry would not see a completed SUAS rule become policy until 2018, seven years after initially expected.