UAS

Unmanned Aircraft Systems
UAS is the unmanned aircraft and all of the associated support  equipment, control
 station, data links, telemetry, communications and navigation equipment
 necessary to  operate the unmanned aircraft.   Source:  FAA

Know Before You Fly Your Drone Workshops coming soon!
Join NCTCOG and UAS professionals for a series of workshops on Drone Awareness.  NCTCOG will host 12 "Know Before You Fly Your Drone" workshops over the next two years in locations throughout North Texas.  Learn about where to fly, best practices, rules and regulations, and much more.   Workshop  dates and locations coming soon.

Join the Drone Advisory Committee (DAC) on October 17
The FAA will hold a Drone Advisory Committee (DAC) meeting on October 17, 2019 in Washington, D.C. The DAC will continue our public conversation about how we can collaborate on important issues like remote i.d., technical challenges, security, recreational operations, and waivers. It’s a broad-based, long-term federal advisory committee that provides the FAA with advice on key drone integration issues by helping us identify challenges and prioritize improvements.  Live streamed via FAA’s social media platforms:  Twitter @FAANews, Facebook @FAA and YouTube beginning at 9:00 am ET.  Source: FAA

UAS Task Force
The North Central Texas Council of Governments has convened the North Texas Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Safety and Integration Task Force to help mitigate reckless UAS operation and promote the safe integration of UAS technology into the DFW regional airspace.  The Task Force is comprised of public-sector representatives at the federal, state, and local levels as well as private-sector representatives from the Aviation and UAS Industries, Academia, Military, and others. 

UAS Task Force Meetings

NCTCOG would like to thank Airbus Helicopters and Gary Moore
for graciously hosting the September UAS Task Force Meeting.

Next Meeting:
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
10 am - 12 pm
NCTCOG Offices
 
Background
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) have been used primarily by the military for many years.  As this emerging technology develops, UAS activity is on the rise with benefits expected through a variety of civilian and commercial applications. In 2012, federal legislation required the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to safely integrate UAS into the National Air Space by September 2015. In December 2013, the FAA announced the selection of the six public entities that will develop unmanned aircraft systems research and test sites around the country.   
 
"These congressionally-mandated test sites will conduct critical research into the certification and operational requirements necessary to safely integrate UAS into the national airspace over the next several years. Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi was selected as one of  the six sites and plans to develop system safey requirements for UAS vehicles and operations with a goal of protocols and procedures for airworthiness testing."   Source: FAA Press Release 
 
In February of 2012, NCTCOG staff published the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Report, a product of the  Regional General Aviation  and Heliport System Plan.   

Staff Contacts:  Ernest Huffman, Natalie Bettger