Page 27 - World Airnews February Magazine 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 aircra� will be ou�i�ed 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 na�onal airspace system

ing as prime contractor and system installer. unveiled recently by the Federal Avia�on

Valued at (US) $500 million, the poten�al Administra�on.

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

including the Rio communica�ons intelli- ments were based on recent news ar�cles

gence system and MX-20HD electro-op�cal 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 Aeronau�ca 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 pla�orms. The 107 regarding "opera�ons 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 aircra� will carry missile warning bought the conformal airborne early warning aircra� to be fi�ed 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 a�ached to their acquisi�on if the AMI “If law enforcement is empowered to

iner�al naviga�on systems and iden�fica- part of the 14° Stormo at Pra�ca di Mare. wishes to operate an all-G550 fleet in the remotely scan a drone and determine its lo-

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

Communica�ons includes the Mul�func- operate from the same base. nearing the end of produc�on. this would provide them with the capability that do not become effec�ve for as long 2. Broadcast module – This op�on, likely

�onal Informa�on Distribu�on System In October Italy's annual defence budget With poten�ally 10 G550-based spe- to make an arrest if found to be opera�ng as 18 to 30 months a�er the February 28 to be used by many individuals, allows a

effec�ve date.

- Joint Tac�cal Radio System (MIDS JTRS). men�oned the purchase of special-mission cial-mission aircra� in its fleet, the AMI in contraven�on of na�onal security and small, inexpensive module to be moved

The aircra� 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 ini�al between aircra� and UAS, with a single

Shavit ISR Gulfstreams operated by Israel. for the programme. opera�on in Italy, which could also offer the safety (regulatory) requirements for Remote ID proposal that EAA believed were registra�on 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.  “Having the drone automa�cally broad- many of our comments were incorporated 3. Flying at an approved, registered fly-

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

ing site – For tradi�onal model aircra�

cast this informa�on would increase safety president of advocacy and safety. operators who fly only at a single site,

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

monitor drone posi�on and direc�on, feels that the rule is far more workable as a sponder would be required although

IATA which could assist with separa�on.” result of the FAA’s considera�on of the more registra�on is s�ll mandated.

The problem as always, is not regula- than 50,000 comments it received. This “AMA deserves a great deal of credit for
�on (nor the enabling technology), but includes our founda�onal principles that any its tremendous work over the past year

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

US PRE-DEPARTURE TESTING garding opera�on over people will only work con�nue to have unfe�ered 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,” Ellio� said.

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

101 from a rule-based regula�on (requiring �ons, 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 regula�on by dated for manned aircra� as part of this rule.” took the �me to comment and bring forth

support and are willing to undergo ma�on flows around requirements for all applicants, regardless of the level of risk EAA’s comments to the No�ce of Propos- ideas to make UAS integra�on and the

he Interna�onal Air Transport tes�ng,” said Douglas Lavin, IATA vice COVID-19 tes�ng and/or vaccine/immu- involved) to a risk-based regula�on. al Rulemaking (NPRM) were highlighted in economic benefits that come with it possible

TAssocia� on (IATA) has wel- president member and external rela- nity informa�on. The new drone regula�ons published by several areas of the new rule. without crea�ng new burdens upon the tradi-

comed the recent announcement by �ons, North America. The IATA Travel Pass will enable EASA (and in December by UK CAA) are Those included EAA exclusive comments �onal model community or manned avia�on.”
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 Na�onal Business Avia�on

encrypted data on their own mobile

Control and Preven�on (CDC) that accep�ng both an�gen and PCR tes�ng devices including verified test or and requirements compliance by applicants associa�ons involved in tradi�onal model Associa�on (NBAA) has stated that the lo-

would require all travellers to the US to and in providing passengers who have vaccina�on results and to share this in- for low-risk opera�ons. avia�on and UAS opera�ons, such as the ca�on of a drone operator should be made

show proof of a nega�ve COVID-19 test already had COVID-19 the ability to forma�on with airlines and authori�es. “So the updates to Part 107 for opera- Academy of Model Aeronau�cs (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 �ons over people move it to a more risk- For those involved in model aircra� and cri�que of the FAA’s new Remote Iden�fica-

their departure to the US. “As the efficacy of tes�ng is con- provision to accept test and immunity based solu�on (the text specifically says so) UAS opera�ons, there are provisions that �on of Unmanned Aircra� final rule.

is good, “ he said.

“Systema�c pre-departure tes�ng is firmed, we need to move quickly to next documents shared electronically via the require iden�fica�on to meet na�onal se- “While NBAA broadly supported many

key to giving governments confidence steps - li�ing travel restric�ons 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 quaran�ne. prevent travel from Europe and other “While this order presents opera�onal tal Aircra� Associa�on recommended as mandated by Congress. Those include: founda�on for safety, na�onal security and

provisions to the Rule that were designed

Tes�ng will ensure that at current infec- key markets and removing quaran�ne challenges, we will con�nue to work to protect EAA members engaged in both 1. Standard Remote ID – This includes opera�onal efficiency, concerns regarding

�on levels, avia�on will not become a requirements imposed by state and with CDC to achieve a smooth imple- manned aircra� and tradi�onal 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. menta�on. It definitely is a big step in aircra� opera�ons. stalled by the manufacturer, beginning ed, in this final rule,” the associa�on said. 

in the US. Furthermore, IATA traveller IATA is developing the IATA Travel the right direc�on,” said Lavin.  The Remote ID rule will formally begin at no later than February 28, 2022. The Now also read Hangar Talk on page 50 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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