The FAA has revised its national policy order that manages applicants’ requests to operate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and how safety risk management (SRM) assessments are performed. It also defines the roles of agency personnel responsible for UAS safety management and includes an outline for documenting the steps in the SRM program. Additionally, the order describes the duties of the FAA’s air traffic organization (ATO) when handling waivers.
In explaining the need for an SRM, the order notes that the UAS industry has “experienced exponential growth” as demonstrated by the number of drone registrations, airspace authorizations, waivers, and remote pilot certificates. “The regulatory system is striving to keep up with the pace of UAS technology. Thus, this order establishes the SRM process for UAS requests and provides a generalized list of common hazards and possible mitigations that should be considered with each assessment.”
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