BVLOS Operations: From the Present to the Future
August 1, 2023 | AUVSI Advocacy
The morning plenary of the FAA Drone Symposium covered different paths to obtaining approval to operate drones Beyond Visual Line-Of-Sight (BVLOS).
The panel of FAA experts and BEYOND program participants discussed BVLOS operations, their conditions and limitations, and upcoming plans. The session featured Brandon Roberts, Executive Director, Office of Rulemaking, FAA; Eric Bergesen, Director of Operations, UPS Flight Forward; Joe Block, Senior Engineer, Advanced Aviation, Crown Consulting, Inc. Jessica Brightman, Manager, Implementation Branch, UAS Integration Office, FAA; and Derek Hufty, Manager, Special Programs Section, Flight Standards Service, FAA.
Brightman stated that FAA’s vision is of a future where general aviation, model aircraft, drones, helicopters, and eVTOL aircraft are all operating together in the national airspace system (NAS).
FAA published 4 proposed exemptions for BLVOS operations for Phoenix Air Unmanned, uAvionix, UPS Flight Forward, and Zipline earlier this summer. Brightman said that FAA received over 400 comments in response and hopes to start issuing exemptions starting later this month.
Block shared how the BEYOND program participants are aiding FAA in its work toward streamlined approval processes for drones and to learn more about the many societal, economic and community benefits of drone use and streamlining the approval processes for drone integration.
Among such benefits of drone integration is the ability to save lives via drone deliveries of medical supplies. Bergesen shared how UPS Flight Forward’s medical customers are eager to see BVLOS flights made routine and scalable so that they can expand their critical medical delivery operations.
AUVSI supports FAA’s initiatives to continue progress on BVLOS operations, ensure safety, provide certainty, and create accelerated pathways for low-altitude flights.
