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Report: Big Issues Remain Before Drones Can Safely Access National Airspace

Posted by samzenpus on from the drone-free-zone dept.

coondoggie writes The story sounds familiar – while the use of unmanned [aerial vehicles], sometimes illegally, is increasing, there are myriad challenges to ultimately allow them safe access to national airspace. The watchdogs at the Government Accountability Office issued a report on the integration of unmanned aerial systems, as it calls them, in US national airspace (NAS) today ahead of a congressional hearing on the topic. As it has noted in past reports, the GAO said the main issues continue to include the ability for drones to avoid other aircraft in the sky; what backup network is available and how should the system behave if it loses its communications link.

2 of 129 comments (clear)

  1. Re:They only mean "navigable" airspace, correct? by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 3, Informative

    First, the term "restricted airspace" isn't really the right term.

    The terms you're looking for are "controlled" and "uncontrolled" airspace.

    There are some places where controlled airspace goes all the way to the surface. Take off in a helicopter and go up 50 feet and you're in controlled airspace.

    Other places, mostly out west in the mountains, sometimes controlled airspace doesn't start until 10,000 feet MSL, but those are rare outside of the Rockies.

  2. Re:For safe integration with existing air traffic by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 3, Informative

    Helicopters frequently fly at 300 ft. And I think a drone is more of a hazard to a helicopter than an airplane.

    Quite true...

    The thing is, most of the drones that you are likely to be flying aren't THAT much of a hazard to the helicopter...

    I've knocked down some pretty large birds with my helicopter before, some of the better helicopters can chop down small trees with their blades (UH-1 is a good example).

    The RC drones that are sold for $300 on eBay? Those aren't really the threat... the bigger issue is commercial drones costing thousands of dollars and able to fly for hundreds of miles. Those are real aircraft and yes, THOSE would bring down a helicopter... or a light airplane...

    And yes, the issues involved in having them fly in the national airspace system are more complex than a few sentences on SlashDot will ever cover.