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FAA’s Mike O’Shea on the Energy Drones and Robotics Summit
The Energy Drone and Robotics Summit in Houston today hosted attendees, exhibitors and speakers from around the globe and most industrial sectors. On the DRONERESPONDERS co-located event, FAA experts were readily available to debate the present environment in public safety, and what’s coming for first responder drone programs.
Sgt. Robert Dooley of the Florida Highway Patrol moderated the town hall discussion with FAA public safety liaison Michael O’Shea and Airspace Security Manager for Systems Operation Support Center Kerry Fleming.
Robert Dooley has spent 22 years as a Florida trooper, and was an early adopter of drone technology in his department. “Once I began within the force, all the things was hand written and manual. It’s amazing how far technology has come,” he comments. “But when we’re going to make use of these tools, we now have to do it the proper way.”
Airspace Permissions
Kerry Fleming – a 38 12 months veteran of the FAA – runs the department that handles first responder requests for airspace access. His team of 8 people is obtainable 24/7, 12 months a 12 months. “We’re there to help – our motto is ‘we’re all the time there to get you within the air,’” he says. “When you’ve got a COA, or you wish an amendment, it’s good to get into restricted airspace – we’re those who allow you to get where it’s good to be.”
Special Government Interest (SGI) requests are designed for the sorts of emergencies that public safety departments face: missing individuals, natural disasters, attacks – situations where lives are in peril and drone operations can improve outcomes. While originally it took time to process these requests, Fleming says that is not any longer the case. “We turn around SGI request in minutes, especially in the midst of the night,” he comments. His team has been working on streamlining the method for years – while the FAA still has heavy paperwork requirements, they’re working with service providers and app developers to take the burden of that paperwork from public safety. As the method has gotten higher and drone programs have proliferated, so have the variety of requests that they process. “We’re seeing a 35% increase 12 months over 12 months,” Fleming says.
Operating Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS)
“Drone as First Responder” or DFR programs are evolving to operate beyond visual line of sight of the operator, currently the law for Part 107 operators. While the FAA has not yet issued a rule for regularizing BVLOS flight, first responder programs still have options. “We have now several alternative ways that [first responders] can operate BVLOS,” O’Shea explains.
The Chula Vista police department was one among the primary to operate a DFR program. Chula Vista has a visible observer on the rooftop when the drone is launched, and they’re able to fly in a 3 mile radius of that roof to get visual awareness of a situation. Their program required geofencing populated areas, corresponding to playgrounds, and assurance that their flight areas offer strong communications services.
“Now we’re taking a look at different solutions, because in the summertime the guy on the roof has a terrible job – it gets hot,” says O’Shea. In Pearland TX, he explains, the department has an IRIS camera system on the roof of a close-by water tower together with ADS-B monitors and other technologies to make sure airspace awareness. “That’s worked thoroughly,” comments O’Shea, noting that the camera is less effective for nighttime operations.
O’Shea explains that every one of the related tools like parachutes, cameras and radar that help departments get permission to fly BVLOS are generally known as “associated elements of safety.” There are lots of tools available: and the market is expanding rapidly. “The FAA will not be within the business of evaluating technologies,” said O’Shea. “What we do is let people come to us with the info from testing their device, so we will see if it meets the security case.”
The FAA can also be allowing BVLOS flight under the concept of obstruction shielding. “Obstruction shielding” refers to operating a drone inside 50 feet of a structure. This meets safety needs: the closer a drone is to an obstruction, the less likely it’s to come across manned aircraft. “That’s a Part 107 application,” O’Shea explains. “You continue to need to mitigate the danger for ops over people and moving vehicles.”
What’s a Drone as First Responder?
Sgt. Dooley points out that for departments just starting a drone program, it might be higher not to right away apply for BVLOS permissions. “You’ve got to crawl, walk, and run – you don’t need to go right into advanced operations,” he says, mentioning that it’s the department’s responsibility to work out every possible way that something negative might occur, basing their policies on those risks.
While DFR technology is evolving, Dooley points out that officers showing up on scene with a drone are also acting as Drone as First Responder – they usually have plenty of value so as to add for the community. “The technology isn’t all the time there to make sure that there isn’t any down time because the drone goes back to a box to charge, or that the guy isn’t on the roof,” he comments. “Don’t get hung up on needing that drone within the box or that BVLOS capability – you might be still reducing costs and adding value.”
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