We’re excited to announce a significant milestone in the ongoing evolution of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) and National Airspace System (NAS) regulations. Aloft Technologies, the market leader in drone fleet and UAS Traffic Management (UTM) airspace, has been invited by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to participate in the prestigious UAS Detection and Mitigation Systems Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC).
For those unfamiliar with the term, ARC refers to a formal group established by the FAA to provide advice and recommendations on critical aviation issues. The UAS Detection and Mitigation Systems is the latest ARC and follows the BVLOS ARC from last year, in which Aloft also participated.
Under the leadership of our CEO and Founder, Jon Hegranes, we consider this invitation not only as an acknowledgment of our expertise in the field but also as a critical responsibility. We are honored to have the opportunity to contribute our insights, derived from years of experience in drone technology and airspace management, to help shape policies that will maximize the safe utilization of the NAS.
Drones are no longer the future; they are the present. They are crucial across all sectors of industry and government, from delivery services and infrastructure inspection to emergency response and environmental monitoring. But as the drone industry continues to grow, it also brings about an urgent need to ensure that this emerging traffic in the NAS can be managed safely and efficiently. Drones have proven to be the safest form of aviation to date, and it’s imperative that the NAS is fully utilized by drones in concert with legacy aviation.
This is where Aloft’s expertise comes in. As pioneers in drone fleet and UTM airspace management, we’ve been leading the charge in ensuring drones can coexist harmoniously within the shared airspace, whilst minimizing risks to other air traffic and to people and property on the ground. Ultimately, detection is but the starting point for UAS integration, as coordination and communication between and amongst all aircraft are where we need to get to as a collective regulated industry.
The ARC provides an unprecedented platform for us to share our advanced, data-backed solutions and deep understanding of the industry with regulators and other stakeholders. Our aim is to contribute to a balanced, forward-looking regulatory environment that promotes innovation while placing utmost importance on safety and privacy.
Participating in the ARC will enable us to actively contribute to the evolution of UAS regulations. We believe that smart, comprehensive regulations will act as the foundation for further innovation in the drone industry. They will pave the way for unlocking the full potential of drone technology, impacting various sectors in unimaginable ways and ultimately maximizing the utilization of NAS.
The charter of the ARC can be found here, and it outlines the ARC’s organization, responsibilities, and tasks, including:
– Identify and evaluate technologies for detecting and mitigating unauthorized drone operations.
– Develop recommendations for the FAA on the use of these technologies.
– Coordinate with other stakeholders, such as the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense, to ensure that the ARC’s work is complementary to other efforts to address the challenge of unauthorized drone operations.
The ARC will convene for the first time in May 2023 and plans to issue its final report in early 2024. We are confident that the ARC will be a valuable resource for the FAA and other stakeholders in their efforts to address the challenge of unauthorized drone operations, and, more importantly, how to distinguish between authorized and unauthorized and, ultimately, how to coordinate and communicate with all aircraft.
We’re excited to embark on this journey with the FAA and the rest of the ARC participants, and we eagerly anticipate playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of UAS regulations. We remain committed to our mission of making the skies safe for all and unlocking the vast potential of uncrewed flight.
Together, let’s chart the course for a future where drones and manned aircraft coexist seamlessly, where the sky’s the limit for UAS technology, and where the NAS is maximized to its fullest, safest potential. Right now, this is an underutilized commodity in America. Stay tuned for updates from the FAA and the ARC. Fly safe!
Jon Hegranes - Aloft CEO
Jon is the Founder & CEO of Aloft, the market leader in drone airspace systems & UTM technologies. Aloft’s patented technology is used in today’s leading recreational, enterprise, and government drone applications.
Jon is a certified commercial drone pilot as part of FAA Part 107, the founder of the Drone Advisory Council, and is an active member of other industry groups, including GUTMA, NBAA Emerging Tech, the FAA’s Advanced Aviation Advisory Committee (AAAC) and working groups, and is a founding member and data working group chair of the FAA Drone Safety Team. He’s a self-taught iOS developer, writes about drone topics for technology news outlets including VentureBeat, TechCrunch, and Forbes, and regularly speaks at industry events such as Commercial UAV Expo, 2B Ahead Future Congress, and DJI AirWorks. Jon graduated from TCU with a major in finance and received his MBA from Thunderbird Global School of Management (ASU). Jon has served on multiple FAA Advisory and Rulemaking Committees (ARCs), including drone detection, counter UAS, and Beyond Visual Line of Site (BVLOS).
