Page 26 - World Airnews Magazine February Edition 2021

AIRCRAFT DRONES

SPECIAL-MISSION FAA REMOTE ID RULE -

GULFSTREAMS FOR ITALY A GOOD MOVE

he US state department has
Tapproved the foreign military
sale of two Gulfstream 550s to the Italian
government. South African drone expert has

The aircraft will be outfitted for the Athrown his weight behind the

Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Recon- recent final Remote ID rule that will have
naissance, and Electronic Warfare (AISREW) drones or Unmanned Aerial Systems inte-
role, with L3 Harris at Greenville, Texas, act- grated into the US national airspace system

ing as prime contractor and system installer. unveiled recently by the Federal Aviation

Valued at (US) $500 million, the potential Administration.

sale includes a suite of mission systems, Drone expert Andre Meredith said his com-

including the Rio communications intelli- ments were based on recent news articles

gence system and MX-20HD electro-optical known as the MC-55A Peregrine. eight Gulfstreams for the AISREW mission, and said he had not had the chance to look in
turret from L3 Harris, AISREW electronic Italy’s Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI, with the first two to be bought as fully depth at FAA Part 89 and the updates to Part

warfare suite, and Leonardo Osprey 50 Italian air force) already has two special-mis- completed reconnaissance platforms. The 107 regarding "operations over people".

AESA radar. sion Gulfstream 550s in service, having following six would be bought as ‘green’ With this in mind, he said having the Re-
The aircraft will carry missile warning bought the conformal airborne early warning aircraft to be fitted with mission systems mote ID will certainly improve privacy and

systems and ALE-47 countermeasures dis- (CAEW) version - locally designated E-550A - at a later date. There is some urgency security management.
pensers, and have secure embedded GPS/ from IAI. They are flown by the 71° Gruppo as attached to their acquisition if the AMI “If law enforcement is empowered to

inertial navigation systems and identifica- part of the 14° Stormo at Pratica di Mare. wishes to operate an all-G550 fleet in the remotely scan a drone and determine its lo-

tion friend or foe (IFF). The AISREW Gulfstreams are expected to interest of commonality, as that model is cation, speed, info on ground station then

Communications includes the Multifunc- operate from the same base. nearing the end of production. this would provide them with the capability that do not become effective for as long 2. Broadcast module – This option, likely

tional Information Distribution System In October Italy's annual defence budget With potentially 10 G550-based spe- to make an arrest if found to be operating as 18 to 30 months after the February 28 to be used by many individuals, allows a

effective date.

- Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS). mentioned the purchase of special-mission cial-mission aircraft in its fleet, the AMI in contravention of national security and small, inexpensive module to be moved

The aircraft are expected to resemble the Gulfstreams, with (US) $1.49bn earmarked has plans to establish a maintenance general privacy requirements, or outside “There are many provisions in the initial between aircraft and UAS, with a single

Shavit ISR Gulfstreams operated by Israel. for the programme. operation in Italy, which could also offer the safety (regulatory) requirements for Remote ID proposal that EAA believed were registration required by the owner for

Australia also has ordered four of an L3 In December last year the Italian defence its services to other Gulfstream operators the type of drone. unacceptable and we are pleased to see that all of the units that may use the module.

Harris-modified ISR version, which will be ministry revealed plans to acquire up to in the region. Q “Having the drone automatically broad- many of our comments were incorporated 3. Flying at an approved, registered fly-

in the final rule,” said Sean Elliott, EAA’s vice

ing site – For traditional model aircraft
cast this information would increase safety president of advocacy and safety. operators who fly only at a single site,

in that perhaps other aircraft and ATC could “As with any rule, it is not perfect, but EAA such as a club flying field, no tran-

monitor drone position and direction, feels that the rule is far more workable as a sponder would be required although

IATA which could assist with separation.” result of the FAA’s consideration of the more registration is still mandated.

The problem as always, is not regula- than 50,000 comments it received. This “AMA deserves a great deal of credit for

tion (nor the enabling technology), but includes our foundational principles that any its tremendous work over the past year

enforcement... Remote ID rule ensured that manned aircraft on this issue and EAA was pleased to work

US PRE-DEPARTURE TESTING garding operation over people will only work continue to have unfettered access to the with them in many areas where it made a
He said the updates made to Part 107 re-

airspace system, no new regulatory burdens

difference in the final rule,” Elliott said.

in South Africa if there is a change to Part would be placed on manned aircraft opera- “The rule came a long way from the original

101 from a rule-based regulation (requiring tions, and no new equipment would be man- proposal. That is a credit to everyone who

surveys show that passengers strongly Pass, a mobile app to manage infor- adherence to all aspects of the regulation by dated for manned aircraft as part of this rule.” took the time to comment and bring forth

support and are willing to undergo mation flows around requirements for all applicants, regardless of the level of risk EAA’s comments to the Notice of Propos- ideas to make UAS integration and the

he International Air Transport testing,” said Douglas Lavin, IATA vice COVID-19 testing and/or vaccine/immu- involved) to a risk-based regulation. al Rulemaking (NPRM) were highlighted in economic benefits that come with it possible

TAssociati on (IATA) has wel- president member and external rela- nity information. The new drone regulations published by several areas of the new rule. without creating new burdens upon the tradi-

comed the recent announcement by tions, North America. The IATA Travel Pass will enable EASA (and in December by UK CAA) are Those included EAA exclusive comments tional model community or manned aviation.”
IATA is encouraged by the flexibility

the United States Centres for Disease shown by CDC in this order, in terms of travellers to receive and securely store risk-based which eliminates loads of work and those made in concert with other Meanwhile the National Business Aviation
encrypted data on their own mobile

Control and Prevention (CDC) that accepting both antigen and PCR testing devices including verified test or and requirements compliance by applicants associations involved in traditional model Association (NBAA) has stated that the lo-

would require all travellers to the US to and in providing passengers who have vaccination results and to share this in- for low-risk operations. aviation and UAS operations, such as the cation of a drone operator should be made

show proof of a negative COVID-19 test already had COVID-19 the ability to formation with airlines and authorities. “So the updates to Part 107 for opera- Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). available to police but not to the public, in

undertaken within three days prior to demonstrate they are immune. IATA urged the US government to make tions over people move it to a more risk- For those involved in model aircraft and critique of the FAA’s new Remote Identifica-

their departure to the US. “As the efficacy of testing is con- provision to accept test and immunity based solution (the text specifically says so) UAS operations, there are provisions that tion of Unmanned Aircraft final rule.

is good, “ he said.

“Systematic pre-departure testing is firmed, we need to move quickly to next documents shared electronically via the require identification to meet national se- “While NBAA broadly supported many

key to giving governments confidence steps - lifting travel restrictions which IATA Travel Pass. Meanwhile in the US, the Experimen- curity and law enforcement requirements of the provisions contained in the rule as a

to reopen markets without quarantine. prevent travel from Europe and other “While this order presents operational tal Aircraft Association recommended as mandated by Congress. Those include: foundation for safety, national security and

provisions to the Rule that were designed

Testing will ensure that at current infec- key markets and removing quarantine challenges, we will continue to work to protect EAA members engaged in both 1. Standard Remote ID – This includes operational efficiency, concerns regarding

tion levels, aviation will not become a requirements imposed by state and with CDC to achieve a smooth imple- manned aircraft and traditional model a transponder in new products, in- privacy were acknowledged, but not correct-

meaningful vector of new transmissions local governments in the US,” said Lavin. mentation. It definitely is a big step in aircraft operations. stalled by the manufacturer, beginning ed, in this final rule,” the association said. Q

in the US. Furthermore, IATA traveller IATA is developing the IATA Travel the right direction,” said Lavin. Q The Remote ID rule will formally begin at no later than February 28, 2022. The Now also read Hangar Talk on page 48 for

signal will include the serial number of
the end of this month with many aspects the product. an indepth look.
World Airnews | February 2021 World Airnews | February 2021
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