...MOSS POINT, Miss. - The smart money says that one day, unmanned
aircraft routinely will share the National Air Space with piloted aircraft. But
that’s one day, and likely years in the future. For now, getting FAA approval
to fly unmanned systems is hard to come by. Yet South Mississippi has not
one, but two areas where UAVs have been approved to fly.
...“Without question it’s significant,” said George Freeland, executive director
of Mississippi’s Jackson County Economic Development Foundation about
the Certificate of Authorization (COA) to fly UAVs from Trent Lott
International Airport, as well as a COA for Stennis Space Center.
...COAs to fly unmanned aircraft are hard to come by. Nationwide there are
136 active COA's, of which 35 percent are assigned to the Department of
Defense, and the rest assigned to airports, law enforcement and universities.
As of January 2010, there were 214 COA's pending nationwide, according to
the Federal Aviation Administration.
...Those involved in the UAV industry would like better access to the air
space, but the Federal Aviation Administration has a responsibility to ensure
piloted aircraft are not threatened by the flights of UAVs. So for the
immediate future, access will be limited. And that may give South Mississippi,
for now, something of a competitive advantage.
Integration
...Unmanned aircraft systems, also referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles
and remotely operated aircraft or vehicles, come in a variety of sizes and
shapes with a variety of purposes. The largest have wingspans of an airliner,
and the smallest can fit in a soldier’s backpack. Some operate autonomously,
and some controlled by a pilot on the ground.
...While primarily associated with military use, UAVs are also of interest to
other government agencies and commercial enterprises. Uses include aerial
photography, land surveying and monitoring environmental conditions. In the
United States, about 50 companies, universities and government organizations
are developing and producing about 155 unmanned aircraft designs.
...The FAA expects small UAVs to experience the greatest near-term growth
in civil and commercial operations because of their relatively low initial cost
and operating expenses. Its main concern about UAVs in civil airspace is
safety – it’s critical they do not endanger other users of the National Airspace
System or compromise the safety of anyone on the ground.
...When government agencies want to fly a UAV in civil airspace, the FAA
evaluates the request for a Certificate of Authorization. The COA defines the
airspace that can be used and includes special provisions, such as a
requirement to operate only under Visual Flight Rules or during daylight hours.
Most are issued for a specified time period, up to a year in some cases.
...Most COAs require coordination with an air traffic control facility and
require the aircraft to have a transponder able to operate in standard air traffic
control mode with automatic altitude reporting. In addition, a ground observer
or an accompanying chase aircraft must maintain visual contact. The FAA,
which sees COAs as a safe way to introduce UAVs into the national airspace,
issued 102 COAs in 2006, 85 in 2007, and 164 in 2008.
Moss Point
...In South Mississippi, plans are to conduct “production check flights” of Fire
Scout MQ-8B, unmanned helicopters built at the Unmanned Systems Center
in Moss Point. Northrop Grumman officials point out that a production check
flight is more like taking the product out for a test drive. Nothing in the aircraft
is experimental.
...“The flying in Mississippi, we will never be testing a new design feature for
the first time, just confirming that everything works,” Doug Fronius, Northrop
Grumman’s Navy MQ-8B Fire Scout Program Director, said in October 2008.
...Although it’s still unclear when the first flight will occur, the entire process
will begin slowly and ramp up over time. The company anticipates each Fire
Scout will require two flights. The initial one will be a takeoff, simple flight
and landing to check basic aircraft systems, followed by a post-flight
inspection. In the second flight the Fire Scout will go out over the water so the
team can evaluate mission equipment. That could be followed by a third flight.
...Under the current authorization – which has been extended – there will also
be a manned chase plane if the Fire Scout leaves the airport traffic area. The
Fire Scouts will fly at a relatively low air speed and will be involved in a very
controlled series of events.
...Having production check flights in South Mississippi is an indication of the
maturity of unmanned aerial systems, and the transition from experimental to
formal production, a big deal for a field that in the not too distant past seemed
like the stuff of science fiction.
...Freeland sees that maturity of the system as a major selling point for
Jackson County.
...“We’re one of a few, if not the only general aviation use airport that has
been able to achieve a COA to fly unmanned aerial vehicles,” said Freeland.
“It’s important for the growth and development of the Northrop Grumman
Unmanned Systems Center, and consistent with the long term vision that
community leaders have had for that facility.”
Slow process
...Freeland attended a UAV symposium in February that included speakers
from all branches of the military, NASA and representatives of the aerospace
and defense contracting companies, including Northrop Grumman, General
Dynamics and Boeing.
...He said two themes continued to surface: One was that unmanned aerial
vehicles are here to stay in both military and non-military applications. The
other was how slow the process is of integrating unmanned systems into the
National Air Space.
...To address the increasing civil market and the desire by civilian operators to
fly UAVs, the FAA, which created an Unmanned Aircraft Program Office, is
developing new policies, procedures and approval processes. It’s working with
a variety of stakeholders.
...The FAA says the introduction of UAVs to the NAS is challenging for the
FAA and the aviation community. UAV proponents have a growing interest in
expediting access to the NAS, and that there is an increase in the number and
scope of UAS flights in an already busy NAS.
...Two overriding issues: How will UAVs handle communication, command,
and control, and how will they sense and avoid other aircraft? The FAA
acknowledges the integration is a long-term process.
...“We as a country are having a very difficult time turning the corner as it
pertains to the integration of UAVs into commercial airspace. Yet here we are
in South Mississippi with one of the very few general aviation use airports for
which the FAA has issued a COA,” said Freeland. The COA here includes
access to the Gulf of Mexico and a backup landing zone on Singing River
Island.
...That in itself is significant. But South Mississippi also has a second COA.
...The second South Mississippi area is between Slidell, La., and Stennis
Space Center. A COA was issued to a special forces unit with a UAV flight
path over Pearl River and has a "chase boat" verses a chase aircraft.
...“The $10 billion question is, does it provide for some measure of
competitive advantage? I’ve got to believe that there’s something to be said
for being out of the gate first,” Freeland said. - David Tortorano
April 2010
aircraft routinely will share the National Air Space with piloted aircraft. But
that’s one day, and likely years in the future. For now, getting FAA approval
to fly unmanned systems is hard to come by. Yet South Mississippi has not
one, but two areas where UAVs have been approved to fly.
...“Without question it’s significant,” said George Freeland, executive director
of Mississippi’s Jackson County Economic Development Foundation about
the Certificate of Authorization (COA) to fly UAVs from Trent Lott
International Airport, as well as a COA for Stennis Space Center.
...COAs to fly unmanned aircraft are hard to come by. Nationwide there are
136 active COA's, of which 35 percent are assigned to the Department of
Defense, and the rest assigned to airports, law enforcement and universities.
As of January 2010, there were 214 COA's pending nationwide, according to
the Federal Aviation Administration.
...Those involved in the UAV industry would like better access to the air
space, but the Federal Aviation Administration has a responsibility to ensure
piloted aircraft are not threatened by the flights of UAVs. So for the
immediate future, access will be limited. And that may give South Mississippi,
for now, something of a competitive advantage.
Integration
...Unmanned aircraft systems, also referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles
and remotely operated aircraft or vehicles, come in a variety of sizes and
shapes with a variety of purposes. The largest have wingspans of an airliner,
and the smallest can fit in a soldier’s backpack. Some operate autonomously,
and some controlled by a pilot on the ground.
...While primarily associated with military use, UAVs are also of interest to
other government agencies and commercial enterprises. Uses include aerial
photography, land surveying and monitoring environmental conditions. In the
United States, about 50 companies, universities and government organizations
are developing and producing about 155 unmanned aircraft designs.
...The FAA expects small UAVs to experience the greatest near-term growth
in civil and commercial operations because of their relatively low initial cost
and operating expenses. Its main concern about UAVs in civil airspace is
safety – it’s critical they do not endanger other users of the National Airspace
System or compromise the safety of anyone on the ground.
...When government agencies want to fly a UAV in civil airspace, the FAA
evaluates the request for a Certificate of Authorization. The COA defines the
airspace that can be used and includes special provisions, such as a
requirement to operate only under Visual Flight Rules or during daylight hours.
Most are issued for a specified time period, up to a year in some cases.
...Most COAs require coordination with an air traffic control facility and
require the aircraft to have a transponder able to operate in standard air traffic
control mode with automatic altitude reporting. In addition, a ground observer
or an accompanying chase aircraft must maintain visual contact. The FAA,
which sees COAs as a safe way to introduce UAVs into the national airspace,
issued 102 COAs in 2006, 85 in 2007, and 164 in 2008.
Moss Point
...In South Mississippi, plans are to conduct “production check flights” of Fire
Scout MQ-8B, unmanned helicopters built at the Unmanned Systems Center
in Moss Point. Northrop Grumman officials point out that a production check
flight is more like taking the product out for a test drive. Nothing in the aircraft
is experimental.
...“The flying in Mississippi, we will never be testing a new design feature for
the first time, just confirming that everything works,” Doug Fronius, Northrop
Grumman’s Navy MQ-8B Fire Scout Program Director, said in October 2008.
...Although it’s still unclear when the first flight will occur, the entire process
will begin slowly and ramp up over time. The company anticipates each Fire
Scout will require two flights. The initial one will be a takeoff, simple flight
and landing to check basic aircraft systems, followed by a post-flight
inspection. In the second flight the Fire Scout will go out over the water so the
team can evaluate mission equipment. That could be followed by a third flight.
...Under the current authorization – which has been extended – there will also
be a manned chase plane if the Fire Scout leaves the airport traffic area. The
Fire Scouts will fly at a relatively low air speed and will be involved in a very
controlled series of events.
...Having production check flights in South Mississippi is an indication of the
maturity of unmanned aerial systems, and the transition from experimental to
formal production, a big deal for a field that in the not too distant past seemed
like the stuff of science fiction.
...Freeland sees that maturity of the system as a major selling point for
Jackson County.
...“We’re one of a few, if not the only general aviation use airport that has
been able to achieve a COA to fly unmanned aerial vehicles,” said Freeland.
“It’s important for the growth and development of the Northrop Grumman
Unmanned Systems Center, and consistent with the long term vision that
community leaders have had for that facility.”
Slow process
...Freeland attended a UAV symposium in February that included speakers
from all branches of the military, NASA and representatives of the aerospace
and defense contracting companies, including Northrop Grumman, General
Dynamics and Boeing.
...He said two themes continued to surface: One was that unmanned aerial
vehicles are here to stay in both military and non-military applications. The
other was how slow the process is of integrating unmanned systems into the
National Air Space.
...To address the increasing civil market and the desire by civilian operators to
fly UAVs, the FAA, which created an Unmanned Aircraft Program Office, is
developing new policies, procedures and approval processes. It’s working with
a variety of stakeholders.
...The FAA says the introduction of UAVs to the NAS is challenging for the
FAA and the aviation community. UAV proponents have a growing interest in
expediting access to the NAS, and that there is an increase in the number and
scope of UAS flights in an already busy NAS.
...Two overriding issues: How will UAVs handle communication, command,
and control, and how will they sense and avoid other aircraft? The FAA
acknowledges the integration is a long-term process.
...“We as a country are having a very difficult time turning the corner as it
pertains to the integration of UAVs into commercial airspace. Yet here we are
in South Mississippi with one of the very few general aviation use airports for
which the FAA has issued a COA,” said Freeland. The COA here includes
access to the Gulf of Mexico and a backup landing zone on Singing River
Island.
...That in itself is significant. But South Mississippi also has a second COA.
...The second South Mississippi area is between Slidell, La., and Stennis
Space Center. A COA was issued to a special forces unit with a UAV flight
path over Pearl River and has a "chase boat" verses a chase aircraft.
...“The $10 billion question is, does it provide for some measure of
competitive advantage? I’ve got to believe that there’s something to be said
for being out of the gate first,” Freeland said. - David Tortorano
April 2010
Aerospace/military
UAV flight approvals rare advantage
UAV flight approvals rare advantage
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