According to a FAA statement reported by multiple media outlets last week, the FAA has decided to modify its regulatory approach and certify electric vertical take-off and landing (“eVTOL”) aircraft as a “special class” aircraft using the existing “powered-lift” aircraft category. As discussed previously, the FAA has been deciding between two approaches to the type certification of eVTOLs—either (a) type certification using airworthiness standards in 14 C.F.R. Part 23 for “Normal Category Airplanes,” which normally fly only horizontally, combined with special conditions for eVTOLs (e.g., vertical flight), or (b) certification under the FAA’s aircraft certification procedures for “special classes” of aircraft in 14 C.FR. § 21.17 (b) (“Special Class Framework”), whereby airworthiness standards derived from other FAA regulations are incorporated as appropriate. The ultimate direction will have significant implications for both eVTOLs’ route to market and future operational requirements (e.g., pilot requirements, infrastructure, etc.). In light of the industry’s expectation…
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Recent
As momentum around Advanced Air Mobility (“AAM”) continues to build, regulators have taken several recent steps in support…
Algeria recently adopted rules for drones. Presidential Decree 21-285 of July 13, 2021 established the general framework…
Despite strict current regulations, the Vietnamese government is making strides in promoting the use and integration of UAS. …
Join the Executives’ Club of Chicago and its Innovation & Entrepreneurship Forum as industry experts discuss future developments in the…
FAA Completes Phase Two of UAS UTM Pilot Program
By Jennifer Trock and Alexander Matthews 3 Mins ReadOn November 17, the FAA announced that it has completed the second and last phase of its Unmanned…
The commercial UAS industry in Mexico has become a complex ecosystem composed of technology, product, demographic, and market…