sUAS People NASA Info Videos FAA Rule Important Links sUAS Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) are considered part of NASA's fleet of aircraft. As an operator of these aircraft, it's important that you remain up-to-date on applicable requirements regarding aircraft operations conducted under NASA authority. To help you become familiar with these, we have put together a series of resources on this page. The regulations aren’t difficult, but they do take time to fully understand and properly implement. Use these resources to learn the expectations and then partner with your center’s flight operations personnel to implement them. Their goal is to help you fly safely and legally, so contact them in the early stages of any sUAS project. They can help you meet NASA and Federal Aviation Administration requirements ahead of time so you can avoid project delays down the road. People Points of Contact For details on contacting a center Flight Operations Office Point of Contact (PoC) for your location, click below. Find Your PoC Flying a sUAS at NASA NASA has authority to operate aircraft under public use authority, which is an entirely different set of rules than aircraft operated as civil use. Under public use, NASA assumes many responsibilities that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) traditionally addresses. This includes ensuring aircraft are airworthy, properly maintained, meet crew certification requirements and are suitable to operate safety in the National Airspace System (NAS). Even small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) operations are conducted under public use, and as such, NASA is responsible for maintaining internal controls for their safe operation. In August 2016, the FAA issued new rules in the Federal Register. The FAA released Title 14, Part 107 “Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems” as the next phase of integrating sUAS into the NAS. This is the first-ever sUAS regulation issued by the FAA, and it involves new requirements for a non-traditional population of users, which may include some of NASA’s operations. Prior to the issuance of Title 14, Part 107, NASA had three ways to legally operate sUAS. With the new rules, NASA now has four available pathways for flying UAS, including sUAS: NASA-FAA Memorandum of Agreement, or MOA The FAA Certificate of Authorization Process, or COA Special Use Airspace Title 14, Part 107 Rules for sUAS Each of these pathways involve different operating requirements and limitations, so it is important to work with your center’s Aircraft Flight Operations Office to determine the most appropriate one for your aircraft and mission, as well as how to apply applicable NASA requirements. See sUAS Safety Message Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Outreach Forum Jan 31, 2017, 14:40 PM Topic: Event Video Vimeo video i ds: 201145059 Is public: Yes Date: Jan 25, 2017, 05:00 AM Outreach Forum hosted by the Aircraft Management Division to share information regarding requirements, rules, regulations and planning suggestions for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS). Video classification: Video Homepage Event Videos {{Title}} Remove Change No categories have been created yet. Event Videos Feature Videos Knowledge Bytes Policy Bytes Safety Messages Video Homepage Done Outreach Forum hosted by the Aircraft Management Division to share information regarding requirements, rules, regulations and planning suggestions for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS). FAA Rule To operate small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) under Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 107, operators are required to adhere to certain FAA regulations while still remaining under NASA’s operational control and complying with center operating policies. A few key operational limitations from the FAA rule include Unmanned aircraft must weigh less than 55 pounds The aircraft must remain within the Visual Line-of-Sight of the remote pilot in command and the person manipulating the flight controls of the sUAS or within Visual Line-of-Sight of the visual observer Operations must occur during daylight or, in some cases, civil twilight with appropriate anti-collision lighting The aircraft must not exceed a maximum altitude of 400 feet Above Ground Level, with few exceptions Operations above people are prohibited Operations are only permitted in Class G uncontrolled airspace, which is essentially in sparsely populated rural areas A multitude of other weather and airspace restrictions Important Links Aircraft Management Division Site for the Aircraft Management Division, which provides capability leadership, oversight and coordination of NASA’s aviation assets, including Unmanned Aircraft Systems FAA News: Summary of Small Unmanned Aircraft Rule (Part 107) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) newsletter article summarizing the small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) rule Memorandum of Agreement Between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration Regarding Operation of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Class G Airspace A copy of the Memorandum of Agreement between NASA and the FAA NPR 7900.3, Aircraft Operations Management Manual NASA Procedural Requimrent for aircraft operations Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Policy Update Aircraft Management Division 2016 memo Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Policy Amplication Aircraft Management Division 2015 memo × Close Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Points of Contact Print Version Many NASA centers have a Flight Operations Office Point of Contact (PoC). For more information on small Unmanned Aircraft System flight requirements, contact the PoC at your center. If your center does not have a PoC, we recommend that you coordinate with the Aircraft Management Division at Headquarters to arrange support from another center’s Flight Operations Office. Name Ames Research Center Roy Williams Armstrong Flight Research Center Dana Purifoy Glenn Research Center Alan Micklewright Goddard Space Flight Center Werner Winz Headquarters Aircraft Management Division Jamal Abbed Richard "Cub" Schlatter Norm Schweizer Tzu-Hsien "Shen" Yen Headquarters Office of Safety and Mission Assurance John Lapointe Johnson Space Center Greg Johnson Kennedy Space Center Dave Ramsey Langley Research Center Shane Dover Wallops Flight Facility Werner Winz