Unmanned Systems Integrated Roadmap FY2011-2036 - Defense ...

6.2.3 Regulatory Compliance
Unmanned Systems Integrated Roadmap FY2011-2036
The Military Departments have a robust process for establishing manned aircraft flight
standards and procedures. However, the current ambiguity and lack of definition in national and
international regulatory guidelines and standards for UAS make it difficult to know, with
consistency or certainty, whether UAS can comply. In fact, some current UAS may already be
operating at appropriate levels of safety; however, until the necessary UAS-specific standards,
regulations, and agreed-upon compliance methodologies are defined, establishing regulatory
compliance for more routine operations is difficult. In the meantime, UAS operations within the
NAS are treated as exceptions through the COA process.
While many requirements can be met through the use of existing manned aircraft, many
missions are more efficiently and safely accomplished by using unmanned platforms.
Technology advancements may be able to help resolve regulatory compliance issues for UA
(particularly Title 14 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 91.113 containing the
see and avoid provision); however, the level and complexity of technology required to resolve
today’s regulatory compliance issues will negatively affect system affordability.
6.3 Problem Statement
The number of UAS in the DoD inventory is growing rapidly. The increase in numbers, as
well as the expanding roles of UAS, has created a strong demand for access to national and
international airspace and has quickly exceeded the current airspace available for military
operations.
6.4 Way Ahead
6.4.1 Methodology
DoD’s UAS NAS access methodology includes the array of UAS platform capabilities,
required airspace, technology improvement, and implementation activities/products required to
attain routine operations within the NAS. This methodology uses an incremental approach to
provide DoD UAS access to a given operations profile that leads to a full dynamic operations
solution (see Figure 13). This methodology recognizes that DoD requires access to differing
classes and types of airspace as soon as possible and that routine dynamic operations will likely
take several years to implement.
The profiles, as outlined in an operational view (Figure 12) and DoD’s AI Plan, may be used
individually to access specific local airspace or integrated together to satisfy additional airspace
requirements. Visual LOS operations establish a means to conduct UAS operations in Visual
Flight Rules conditions. The terminal area profile is intended to facilitate UAS operations in a
confined volume of airspace, such as Class D airspace or near restricted airspace. UAS operating
areas, such as special use airspace (e.g., restricted area, or military operations area (MOA)), can
be accessed either by flying through a lateral corridor (through Class E) or by vertically
ascending to Class A airspace and flying across. While operating areas are limited to restricted or
warning areas, MOAs are desirable because they offer a wide variety of airspace spanning 43
states to provide a robust, nationwide UAS training capability without the creation of new
airspace.
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