Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Are you a drone pilot in the US, Canada, or one of the EU countries? If you haven’t yet registered your drone, now’s a great time to do so.

OK. We’ll admit that headline might not hook all of you. But with drone Fleet Management tools and autonomous deliveries, it’s a big issue for the industry – and it made for a fascinating panel discussion on the closing day of this year’s XPONENTIAL online conference.

Everyone’s aware the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) recently altered rules on drone operation, but what are the salient changes involved? Step this way and DroneDJ will explain.

Let’s say you had an issue while on a recent drone flight. Maybe you were a mission and a manned aircraft dipped below 400 feet. Maybe the drone had a flyaway. What to do? Well, the FAA is encouraging you to report it, using an anonymous and largely non-punitive system.

Drone solution company uAvionix has just announced its ping200X drone transponder has received FAA TSO certification, making it the first to do so. The transponder allows drones to meet the requirements of global controlled airspace.

As the weather has many pilots dusting off their drones and charging up their batteries, the FAA has a couple of important reminders: Ensure that your drone is registered, and avoid flying near stadiums.

The owner of a business specializing in First Person View drone products and accessories has launched an action challenging the validity of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Remote ID Rule. It’s a significant move, with implications for everyone who flies a drone or RC aircraft.

NASA recently got through the final stage of its drone testing program to find the best solution to allow drones to fly in crowded airspace. The testing is in partnership with the FAA and three industry partners to show potential commercial applications using different size drones in various locations and different airspace classes.

The FAA has announced that the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will be one of five to test out its counter-drone tech as it hopes to install it at every airport in the country. The airport has seen drones in the past, making it the perfect place to test the technology.

The FAA is moving ahead with its plans for a nation-wide system to train and test all recreational drone pilots. The Recreational UAS Safety Test, or TRUST, must be given by a qualified entity or person, and at no charge.

Just recently, the Federal Aviation Administration announced its new Remote ID rule. In a nutshell, drones will require a digital license plate down the road, which must be wirelessly transmitted. Before too long, some drones being manufactured will have this capability built-in, or you will be able to purchase a separate module that does the job. Now, the American Civil Liberties Union has offered its own take on the rule.

The popular B4UFLY airspace awareness tool – used as a mobile app by many US drone operators – is now available via desktop/laptop.

If you’re a regular reader of DroneDJ, you’ve likely heard the phrase “Urban Air Mobility” by now. But what exactly does it mean? And why is it important? Let’s do a check-in.

Super Bowl LV is coming. But the FAA wants you to leave your drone at home – and it’s providing plenty of notice.

In a significant industry “first,” a US company has received FAA permission to fly its automated drone-in-a-box system. This is a pretty big deal, with ramifications down the road for many other players in this sector.

In what appears to be a first, a drone pilot has pleaded guilty to colliding his drone into a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter. It’s believed to be the first criminal conviction in the United States for unsafe operation of an unmanned aircraft.

The FAA is hoping a new reminder, along with some graphics, might result in people keeping their drones well clear of stadiums at game-time.

We’ve had a number of inquiries about whether it will be legal to fly DJI’s new FPV drone (when it’s eventually released). Of course, the same regulations would apply to all FPV drones, not just a DJI product. We knew the answer, but thought it would be good to take a deeper dive.

Skydio today announced that CEO Adam Bry has been appointed the US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Drone Advisory Committee. He joins 34 other executives from the drone industry in this important role.

We believe rules are there for a reason. And both the Federal Aviation Administration and its Canadian equivalent, Transport Canada, have tried to strike a balance between maintaining safe airspace and letting drone pilots go about their business. But there will always be those who ignore the rules.

Reactions are still coming in, following Monday’s release by the FAA of its new Remote ID Rule, as well as its new regulations for Operations over People – including flying at night. DJI is the latest to offer a statement.