Federal certificate smoothes way for unmanned aircraft missions
May 28, 2015
Sue Mitchell
907-474-5823
A new federal certificate will allow the unmanned aircraft center at the University
of Alaska Fairbanks to respond more rapidly to clients’ requests. A new mission can
now begin within 48 hours instead of the previous 90 days.
The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a national certificate of authorization
to the Pan Pacific Unmanned Aerial Systems Test Range Complex, which is managed by
UAF's Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration.
ACUASI can now fly small unmanned aerial vehicles under 55 pounds up to 200 feet above
ground level anywhere in the country, except for restricted airspace and areas close
to airports and heliports. Before this, ACUASI had to get a unique authorization for
each aircraft, location and mission. The aircraft must still remain within sight of
the pilot.
“This allows us to move at the speed of business,” said Marty Rogers, chief executive
officer of the test range complex and director of ACUASI. “It will save a lot of time
for UAF.”
In addition, the new certificate allows ACUASI to fly various types of UAVs, such
as a rotary wing and a fixed-wing plane, on one mission. Before, each type of UAV
used on a mission required a separate authorization. Different types of UAVs have
different capabilities, and some missions require more than one type.
Pilots of UAVs in test site operations will no longer have to be commercially certified
pilots but can be recreational or sport pilots, and a valid driver’s license will
satisfy the medical requirement. This will reduce the cost of commercial UAV operation.
"This national certificate of authorization provides immediate and significant benefit
to not only the test sites but to the entire UAS community,” Rogers said.
“In our case, it is not just Alaska which benefits from this authority," Rogers said.
"Our state partners in Oregon and Hawaii and our UAF partners, Kansas State University
and Mississippi State University, will now be able to immediately start supporting
client needs. It removes a significant bottleneck."
FAA rules for commercial use of UAVs are much more strict than those for hobby use.
The UAVs operated under the Pan Pacific Test Range Complex are much more capable and
carry higher quality sensors and cameras than hobby UAVs.
ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Marty Rogers, 907-322-9913, mwrogers3@alaska.edu