Surveying with Commercial Drones
"Drones and US National Airspace"
UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) or sUAS (Small Unmanned Aircraft System) are not new. What is new is how these technologies are advancing and intertwining with the new FAA Part 107 Rules and Regulations.
Part 107 is for commercial use of sUAS. I am only going to touch on the commercial aspects as it relates to Land Surveying and Part 107.
I am excited about drone operations and applying them to the surveying world. Having flown for many years as a Private Pilot and now transitioning to a sUAS Remote Pilot is a new frontier for me and using this technology as part of my surveying career just makes it that much more exciting.
I want to touch on Airspace Classification as it applies to the sUAS Remote Pilot.
As a Remote Pilot you will be operating from the surface to 400' above ground level (AGL) or 400' maximum distance from a tower or building as part of your survey.
Class G airspace is where you will do most of your sUAS flying. With a Remote Pilot License, no permission is needed to operate in a Class G airspace. You will need to see and avoid other manned and unmanned aircraft as well as stay within the 400' AGL requirements.
Any operation conducted in Class B, C, D or Surface E airspace requires a waiver or airspace authorization under 107.41. There is an online portal from which you can request a waiver or airspace authorization.
The FAA tentative schedule is as follows:
Class D & E Surface Area Oct. 3, 2016
Class C Oct. 31, 2016
Class B Dec. 5, 2016
(Note:
The approval process can take up to 90 days.)
Keep in mind that the FAA is evolving which means that the rules and regulations will be changing as the drone technology becomes more widely used by the public for commercial use. The rumor is that at some point in time there will be an app that can be used to get permission to fly in controlled airspace instantly. We are not there yet so for now the above link to the web portal is the only option so plan ahead.
I am working on a KMZ file for Google Earth that shows the controlled airspace in the Phoenix Metro area where my base of operation is located.
This KML file shows where Class G airspace is located and it's proximity to Class B, D, E and Restricted airspace. This information was taken from the Phoenix Terminal Area Chart.
A new web page has been created on my website that contains links to this information.
This web page is a work in progress. It will be updated as needed to accommodate the Surveyor Apprenticeship Program and FAA advancements.
Follow this web page to stay current with the changes that we know are coming.
