What do I need to do to be legal to fly? Obtain an FAA issued Airworthiness Certificate for my UAS and a Program Letter of Restriction OR Obtain an FAA issued Certificate of Authorization or Waiver (COA) OR Fly in Special Use Airspace OR Fly as a Model Aircraft (this is being better defined by FAA)

FAA Regulation of UAS Activities Obtain an FAA issued Airworthiness Certificate for my UAS and a Program Letter of Restriction See FAA policy letter AFS-400 UAS Policy Only one UAS (Altair) has achieved this to date Obtain a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) - FAR This is the process for requesting permission to conduct an air event Requester must submit no earlier/later than 60 days prior to flight event Submit request to FAA HQ (non-public aircraft w/ Airworthiness Cert.) Submit to FAA Regional Office (public aircraft) FAA currently reorganizing and this process is changing Requester must detail flight operations (flight duration, route, altitudes, etc.) FAA will specify what is authorized: ATC communications requirements Meteorological conditions Ground observer / chase aircraft, etc. Beware that these rules are all in transition!

FAA Regulation of UAS Activities Fly in Special Use Airspace Restricted Areas, Warning Areas, MOAs, etc. With permission from airspace owner Fly under Model Aircraft rules: see AC91-57; released 1981 Less than 400 ft AGL Aircraft must remain in view of operator Notification requirements if within 3 mi of airport Beware that these rules are all in transition!

Large UAS

Altair 18.4 hour mission

Altair Platform Specifications: Wing Span86 ft Useful Load (fuel+payload+ballast)3750 lbs Max Fuel3000 lbs Ballast/Payload OffsetUp to 750 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 50,000 ft Max EnduranceUp to 25 hours Internal Payload BayYes External Pod MountsYes Electrical Power4.9 SL; Alt Availability: Available NASA thru lease agreement w/GA-ASI Experience: ERAST (flight test) Coast Guard Alaska deployment 2004 NASA/NOAA UAV Demonstration Mission 2005

NASA IKHANA

Platform Specifications: Wing Span66 ft Useful Load (fuel+payload+ballast)6400 lbs Ballast/Payload OffsetUp to 800 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 45,000 ft Max EnduranceUp to 30 hours Internal Payload BayYes External Pod MountsYes Electrical Power4.9 SL; Alt Availability: Available early FY Experience: NASA - none as of this date DOD - substantial

NASA Global Hawk Platform Specifications: Wing Span116 ft Payload 2000 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 65,000 ft Max EnduranceUp to 35 hours Internal Payload BayYes External Pod MountsPossible Electrical Power3.0 SL; Alt Availability: In negotiations with Air Force + infrastructure/partnerships needed Experience: NASA - none as of this date DOD - substantial

NASA UAS Instrument Pods UAVSAR Pod Specifications Mounts to MAU-12 adaptor Supportable on NASA GIII & IKHANA Currently supporting UAVSAR instrument Two units in fabrication Capable of carrying up to 850 lbs Dimensions ~ 10 ft x 2 ft Available early FY07

NASA UAS Instrument Pods Western States Fire Mission Pod Specifications Mounts to MAU-12 adaptor Supportable on GA-ASI Altair & NASA IKHANA Currently supporting Wild Fire Sensor One unit in fabrication Capable of carrying up to 1000 lbs Dimensions ~ 10 ft x 2 ft Available late FY06

Medium/Small UAS

Aerosonde 18.4 hour mission Platform Specifications: Wing Span9.5 ft Payload Capacity2.2 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 20K ft Max EnduranceUp to 40 hours Electrical Power10 W Availability: Contract thru NASA with Aerosonde North America Experience: CAMEX 4, So. Florida; TCSP, Costa Rica; Guam; NOAA, Hurricane Ophelia; Atlantic crossing

APV-3 Collected digital color and hyperspectral imagery above the vineyard in August 2003 to support frost detection.

APV-3 Platform Specifications: Wing Span12 ft Payload22 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 10K ft Max EnduranceUP to 4 hours Electrical Power40 W Availability: Through UAV Collaborative Experience: Vineyard mapping, No. California Fire mapping, Dryden flight research

Manta

Platform Specifications: Wing Span8.75 ft Payload CapacityUp to 15 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 16K ft MSL Mission Endurance 6 hours Onboard Power14.4V, 15 or 30 AH, BA5590 LiS02 Battery Availability: Through Advanced Ceramics Research Experience: Scripps demo, Maldives

Bat Sort Range surveillance and aerial mapping

Bat Platform Specifications: Wing Span6 ft Payload CapacityUp to 4 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 9K ft. Max Endurance 6 hours Availability: USFS / WRAP Partnership or UAV Collaborative Experience: Military surveillance, small UAV demo

RMAX Helicopter

Platform Specifications: Rotor Span10.2 ft. Payload CapacityUp to 10 lbs Max Endurance Up to 4 hours Operational AltitudesLow Altitude Availability: Through partnership with the ARMY Experience: Military surveillance, small UAV demo

PUMA The aqua Puma version is adapted for use in salt water environment and can be landed directly onto the sea surface and recovered with a small watercraft.

PUMA Platform Specifications: Wing Span8.5 ft. Payload CapacityUp to 2.5 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 10K ft. Max Endurance 4 hours Availability: USFS / WRAP Partnership Experience: Military surveillance

Silver Fox

Platform Specifications: Wing Span7.8 ft Payload CapacityUp to 5 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 12K ft. Max Endurance 10 hours Availability: USFS / WRAP Partnership Experience: Mt. St. Helens volcano, military

Vector P

Platform Specifications: Wing Span8.4 ft Payload CapacityUp to 20 lbs. Operational AltitudesUp to 10K ft. Max Endurance 4 hours Availability: USFS / WRAP Partnership Experience: Agricultural imaging, surveillance

Mark 3

Platform Specifications: Wing Span8.4 ft Payload CapacityUp to 4.4 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 20K ft. Max Endurance 30 hours Availability: USFS / WRAP Partnership

Shadow 200

Platform Specifications: Wingspan12.75 ft Payload56 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 14K ft Max EnduranceUP to 6 hours Availability: USFS / WRAP Partnership Experience: Military, National Guard

Interesting UAS in Development

NRL/ARC Sierra

Sierra Platform Specifications: Wingspan 6 ft Payload100 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 10K ft Max Endurance UP to 8 hours Availability: In ARC

Bell Eagle Eye

Platform Specifications: Wingspan (Tilt Rotor)15.2 ft Payload200 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 20K ft Max Endurance (Turbine Engines)UP to 8 hours Availability: In development

MQ5C (E-Hunter) Northrop Grumman & Israeli Aircraft Industries

Platform Specifications: Wingspan N/A PayloadN/A Operational AltitudesUp to 20K ft Max Endurance (Diesel Engines)UP to 15 hours Availability: In development MQ5C (E-Hunter)

Systems Reliability –Number of operational hours vs. incidents –System redundancy –Propulsion system history Guaranteeing Public Safety –May require a Flight Termination System Access to the National Airspace System –Currently the FAA prefers us above 40K ft Other Issues to Consider

GA-ASI Warrior

Warrior (Predator A Variant) Platform Specifications: WingspanTBD ft Useful Load (payload)TBD lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 25K ft Max Endurance (Diesel engine)UP to 36 hours Availability: In development Experience: Substantial due to similarity to Predator A series

Backup Stuff

Pioneer

Platform Specifications: Wingspan16.76 ft Useful Load (payload)75 lbs Operational AltitudesUp to 12K ft Max EnduranceUP to 5.5 hours Availability: Experience: Military

NASA/NOAA 18.4 hour mission NASA/NOAA Channel Islands mission Altair