Small UAS Rules Proceed to White House for Final Review

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) rules for small commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are reportedly now with the White House’s office of information and regulatory affairs (OIRA).

According to law firm Hogan Lovells, the small UAS rules will now go through “final interagency review,” which also allows members of the public to set up a meeting with OIRA and offer input.

“This means that a final small UAS rule is coming soon – and that NOW is the last opportunity to influence the rule before it is released,” says Hogan Lovells, which adds that a review period typically takes about 53 days and that the rules arrived at OIRA on April 20.

“We are now at an extremely important step in the rulemaking process, which provides industry stakeholders with one final opportunity to provide additional input before the final rule is released,” the law firm says.

FAA Administrator Michael Huerta recently confirmed at a UAS symposium in Daytona Beach, Fla., that the rules would be out by “late spring.” The FAA’s proposed rules came out in February 2015.

Hogan Lovells’ full update can be found here.