Airworthiness Criteria: Special Class Airworthiness Criteria for the FlightScan Corporation Camcopter S-100, 53432-53433 [2017-24866]

Download as PDF 53432 Proposed Rules Federal Register Vol. 82, No. 220 Thursday, November 16, 2017 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 21 [Docket No. FAA–2017–1058] Airworthiness Criteria: Special Class Airworthiness Criteria for the FlightScan Corporation Camcopter S–100 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed interim airworthiness criteria. AGENCY: The FAA announces the availability of and requests comments on proposed airworthiness criteria for the Unmanned Aircraft System, FlightScan Corporation, Camcopter S–100. This document provides proposed policy for airworthiness criteria to address the designation of applicable regulations and other criteria for special classes of aircraft. In addition to the proposed airworthiness criteria presented in this document, we are also referencing operational considerations that have been used to support the development of the airworthiness criteria. We consider these proposed criteria to be interim because we anticipate the evolution of new operational criteria will necessitate additional airworthiness criteria in order to allow for the operation of the Camcopter S–100 in the National Airspace System. When those additional operational criteria are further established, we will again provide public notice of proposed policy with additional airworthiness criteria along with changes incorporated to these criteria based on the public comments received. DATES: Send comments on or before December 18, 2017. ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA–2017–1058 using any of the following methods: • Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow nshattuck on DSK9F9SC42PROD with PROPOSALS SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 14:41 Nov 15, 2017 Jkt 244001 the online instructions for sending your comments electronically. • Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M–30, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12–140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590–0001. • Hand Delivery of Courier: Take comments to Docket Operations in Room W12–140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m., and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. • Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202–493–2251. Privacy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without change, to https://regulations.gov, including any personal information the commenter provides. Using the search function of the docket Web site, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all comments received into any FAA docket, including the name of the individual sending the comment (or signing the comment for an association, business, labor union, etc.). DOT’s complete Privacy Act Statement can be found in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477–19478), as well as at https://DocketsInfo.dot.gov. Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at https://www.regulations.gov at any time. Follow the online instructions for accessing the docket or go to the Docket Operations in Room W12–140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m., and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Raymond Johnston, AIR–692, Federal Aviation Administration, Policy & Innovation Division, Small Airplane Standards Branch, Aircraft Certification Service, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, MO 64106, telephone (816) 329– 4159, facsimile (816) 329–4090. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments Invited We invite interested people to take part in the development of this policy by sending written comments, data, or views. The most helpful comments reference a specific portion of the airworthiness criteria, explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting data. We ask PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 that you send us two copies of written comments. We will consider all comments received on or before the closing date for comments. We will consider comments filed late if it is possible to do so without incurring expense or delay. We may change these airworthiness criteria based on received comments or based on evolving operational criteria. Background FlightScan Corporation (FlightScan) applied to the Federal Aviation Administration on June 1, 2015 for special class type certification under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 21.17(b) for the Camcopter S–100 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The Camcopter S–100 UAS (S–100) consists of the unmanned aircraft (UA) and its associated elements (including communication links and the components that control the unmanned aircraft). The S–100 is a vertical take-off UAS that is of the traditional main/tail rotor helicopter design. The fuselage is made of carbon fiber and titanium. The S–100 is powered by a liquid cooled rotary engine and has a maximum takeoff weight of 440 pounds which can include a maximum payload of up to 110 pounds. The main rotor diameter is approximately 134 inches. The UAS is intended to be used to conduct airborne surveying of power transmission infrastructure using aerial photogrammetry. Risk Classes To facilitate the establishment of an initial risk class for UAS, the FAA proposes a scale of risk based on kinetic energy.1 These proposed risk classes are based on logical break points between data clusters that parallel the existing classes of aircraft defined in AC 23.1309–1E,2 the size boundaries for Light-Sport Aircraft, and the size boundaries in 14 CFR part 107. These energy based classifications for UAS are given in the definitions section of the Airworthiness Criteria for the FlightScan 1 Within these risk categories, the FAA recognizes the opportunity to further define risk classes based on UAS operational considerations in the National Airspace System. 2 https://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_ Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/ 719E41E1D26099108625795D005D5302? OpenDocument&Highlight=ac%2023.1309-1e. E:\FR\FM\16NOP1.SGM 16NOP1 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 220 / Thursday, November 16, 2017 / Proposed Rules Camcopter S–100, which has been placed in the docket. The S–100 would be considered Risk Class 3. nshattuck on DSK9F9SC42PROD with PROPOSALS Operational Considerations The following operational considerations were evaluated during the development of this document: 1. The S–100 would be used for power transmission line survey operations. It operates in a designated corridor and area within the right-ofway of the power transmission lines and is operationally limited to 100 feet above and laterally within 100 feet of the power line it would be surveying. 2. While there is minimal population exposure within the power transmission line right-of-way, the mission path would cross several public highways and pass in close proximity to several neighborhoods with population densities of less than 950 people per square mile. 3. The S–100 would operate Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). BVLOS for this UAS is defined as those operations that do not conform to the definition of Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) in 14 CFR part 107.31 at amendment 107–1. 4. The radio control uplink and downlink would operate within frequencies approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). 5. This S–100 is designed to operate both autonomously and manually by the pilot-in-command (PIC). 6. Minimum crew includes one PIC, one mission specialist, and one mission flight director. 7. The minimum crew would operate only one S–100 at any time. 8. The aircraft would remain within Radio Line of Sight (RLOS) of the control station. RLOS refers to the straight and unobstructed path between the transmitting and receiving antennas. 9. The control station would be ground based. 10. All crew would be FAA certified airmen with current and applicable medical credentials. 11. All crew would successfully complete required crew training. 12. Maintenance personnel would hold appropriate FAA maintenance certificates. 13. Maintenance personnel would complete required maintenance training. Unresolved Criteria The FAA’s ongoing development of operational criteria will necessitate the incorporation of additional airworthiness criteria into the S–100 and may also necessitate future clarity of the airworthiness criteria published VerDate Sep<11>2014 14:41 Nov 15, 2017 Jkt 244001 in the Airworthiness Criteria for the FlightScan Camcopter S–100, available in the docket. These may include but are not necessarily limited to the following— 1. Command and Control (*) 3—UAS control and communications link security is a key safety and interoperability requirement in integrating civil UAS into the National Airspace System NAS; 2. Sense and Avoid (SAA) Equipage (*)—SAA systems could serve as a means of compliance with 14 CFR 91.113 right-of-way rules and others. Issues associated with the use of SAA systems to comply with 14 CFR 91 requirements and others, if any, must be identified; and 3. Noise Act Finding (*)—Noise standards have not been developed for UAS. Proposed Airworthiness Criteria The FAA has not previously published airworthiness criteria for UAS. The FAA proposes new type certification airworthiness criteria for the FlightScan Camcopter S–100 as found in Airworthiness Criteria for the FlightScan Camcopter S–100, Revision 0, dated November 3, 2017. Locate the document at https://www.regulations.gov using docket number FAA–2017–1058. Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 8, 2017. Pat Mullen, Manager, Small Airplane Standards Branch, Aircraft Certification Service. [FR Doc. 2017–24866 Filed 11–15–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–13–P DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration 21 CFR Parts 170 and 570 [Docket No. FDA–2017–D–0085] Best Practices for Convening a Generally Recognized as Safe Panel: Draft Guidance for Industry; Availability AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notification of availability. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA, we, or Agency) is announcing the availability of a draft guidance for industry entitled ‘‘Best Practices for Convening a GRAS Panel.’’ This draft guidance document is SUMMARY: 3 Criteria that have not yet been developed are identified with an asterisk (*). PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 53433 intended for any person who is responsible for a conclusion that a substance may be used in food on the basis of the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) provision of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act) when that person convenes a panel of experts (‘‘GRAS panel’’) to independently evaluate whether the available scientific data, information, and methods establish that the substance is safe under the conditions of its intended use in human food or animal food. This draft guidance provides our current thinking on best practices to identify GRAS panel members who have appropriate and balanced expertise; to take steps to reduce the risk that bias (or the appearance of bias) will affect the credibility of the GRAS panel’s output (often called a ‘‘GRAS panel report’’), including the assessment of potential GRAS panel members for conflict of interest and the appearance of conflict of interest; and to limit the data and information provided to a GRAS panel to public information (e.g., by not providing the GRAS panel with information such as trade secret information). Although you can comment on any guidance at any time (see 21 CFR 10.115(g)(5)), to ensure that we consider your comment on this draft guidance before we issue the final version of the guidance, submit either electronic or written comments by May 15, 2018. For comments related to the collection of information provisions in this draft guidance, submit either electronic or written comments by January 16, 2018. DATES: ADDRESSES: You may submit comments as follows: Electronic Submissions Submit electronic comments in the following way: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Comments submitted electronically, including attachments, to https:// www.regulations.gov will be posted to the docket unchanged. Because your comment will be made public, you are solely responsible for ensuring that your comment does not include any confidential information that you or a third party may not wish to be posted, such as medical information, your or anyone else’s Social Security number, or confidential business information, such as a manufacturing process. Please note that if you include your name, contact information, or other information that identifies you in the body of your E:\FR\FM\16NOP1.SGM 16NOP1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 220 (Thursday, November 16, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 53432-53433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24866]


========================================================================
Proposed Rules
                                                Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________

This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.

========================================================================


Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 220 / Thursday, November 16, 2017 / 
Proposed Rules

[[Page 53432]]



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 21

[Docket No. FAA-2017-1058]


Airworthiness Criteria: Special Class Airworthiness Criteria for 
the FlightScan Corporation Camcopter S-100

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of proposed interim airworthiness criteria.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The FAA announces the availability of and requests comments on 
proposed airworthiness criteria for the Unmanned Aircraft System, 
FlightScan Corporation, Camcopter S-100. This document provides 
proposed policy for airworthiness criteria to address the designation 
of applicable regulations and other criteria for special classes of 
aircraft. In addition to the proposed airworthiness criteria presented 
in this document, we are also referencing operational considerations 
that have been used to support the development of the airworthiness 
criteria. We consider these proposed criteria to be interim because we 
anticipate the evolution of new operational criteria will necessitate 
additional airworthiness criteria in order to allow for the operation 
of the Camcopter S-100 in the National Airspace System. When those 
additional operational criteria are further established, we will again 
provide public notice of proposed policy with additional airworthiness 
criteria along with changes incorporated to these criteria based on the 
public comments received.

DATES: Send comments on or before December 18, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send comments identified by docket number FAA-2017-1058 
using any of the following methods:
     Federal eRegulations Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow the online instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: Send comments to Docket Operations, M-30, U.S. 
Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room 
W12-140, West Building Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery of Courier: Take comments to Docket 
Operations in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 
New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m., and 5 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
     Fax: Fax comments to Docket Operations at 202-493-2251.
    Privacy: The FAA will post all comments it receives, without 
change, to https://regulations.gov, including any personal information 
the commenter provides. Using the search function of the docket Web 
site, anyone can find and read the electronic form of all comments 
received into any FAA docket, including the name of the individual 
sending the comment (or signing the comment for an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). DOT's complete Privacy Act Statement can 
be found in the Federal Register published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR 
19477-19478), as well as at https://DocketsInfo.dot.gov.
    Docket: Background documents or comments received may be read at 
https://www.regulations.gov at any time. Follow the online instructions 
for accessing the docket or go to the Docket Operations in Room W12-140 
of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m., and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Raymond Johnston, AIR-692, Federal 
Aviation Administration, Policy & Innovation Division, Small Airplane 
Standards Branch, Aircraft Certification Service, 901 Locust, Room 301, 
Kansas City, MO 64106, telephone (816) 329-4159, facsimile (816) 329-
4090.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    We invite interested people to take part in the development of this 
policy by sending written comments, data, or views. The most helpful 
comments reference a specific portion of the airworthiness criteria, 
explain the reason for any recommended change, and include supporting 
data. We ask that you send us two copies of written comments.
    We will consider all comments received on or before the closing 
date for comments. We will consider comments filed late if it is 
possible to do so without incurring expense or delay. We may change 
these airworthiness criteria based on received comments or based on 
evolving operational criteria.

Background

    FlightScan Corporation (FlightScan) applied to the Federal Aviation 
Administration on June 1, 2015 for special class type certification 
under Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 21.17(b) for the 
Camcopter S-100 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).
    The Camcopter S-100 UAS (S-100) consists of the unmanned aircraft 
(UA) and its associated elements (including communication links and the 
components that control the unmanned aircraft). The S-100 is a vertical 
take-off UAS that is of the traditional main/tail rotor helicopter 
design. The fuselage is made of carbon fiber and titanium. The S-100 is 
powered by a liquid cooled rotary engine and has a maximum take-off 
weight of 440 pounds which can include a maximum payload of up to 110 
pounds. The main rotor diameter is approximately 134 inches. The UAS is 
intended to be used to conduct airborne surveying of power transmission 
infrastructure using aerial photogrammetry.

Risk Classes

    To facilitate the establishment of an initial risk class for UAS, 
the FAA proposes a scale of risk based on kinetic energy.\1\ These 
proposed risk classes are based on logical break points between data 
clusters that parallel the existing classes of aircraft defined in AC 
23.1309-1E,\2\ the size boundaries for Light-Sport Aircraft, and the 
size boundaries in 14 CFR part 107. These energy based classifications 
for UAS are given in the definitions section of the Airworthiness 
Criteria for the FlightScan

[[Page 53433]]

Camcopter S-100, which has been placed in the docket. The S-100 would 
be considered Risk Class 3.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Within these risk categories, the FAA recognizes the 
opportunity to further define risk classes based on UAS operational 
considerations in the National Airspace System.
    \2\ https://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/719E41E1D26099108625795D005D5302?OpenDocument&Highlight=ac%2023.1309-1e.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Operational Considerations

    The following operational considerations were evaluated during the 
development of this document:
    1. The S-100 would be used for power transmission line survey 
operations. It operates in a designated corridor and area within the 
right-of-way of the power transmission lines and is operationally 
limited to 100 feet above and laterally within 100 feet of the power 
line it would be surveying.
    2. While there is minimal population exposure within the power 
transmission line right-of-way, the mission path would cross several 
public highways and pass in close proximity to several neighborhoods 
with population densities of less than 950 people per square mile.
    3. The S-100 would operate Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). 
BVLOS for this UAS is defined as those operations that do not conform 
to the definition of Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) in 14 CFR part 107.31 
at amendment 107-1.
    4. The radio control uplink and downlink would operate within 
frequencies approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
    5. This S-100 is designed to operate both autonomously and manually 
by the pilot-in-command (PIC).
    6. Minimum crew includes one PIC, one mission specialist, and one 
mission flight director.
    7. The minimum crew would operate only one S-100 at any time.
    8. The aircraft would remain within Radio Line of Sight (RLOS) of 
the control station. RLOS refers to the straight and unobstructed path 
between the transmitting and receiving antennas.
    9. The control station would be ground based.
    10. All crew would be FAA certified airmen with current and 
applicable medical credentials.
    11. All crew would successfully complete required crew training.
    12. Maintenance personnel would hold appropriate FAA maintenance 
certificates.
    13. Maintenance personnel would complete required maintenance 
training.

Unresolved Criteria

    The FAA's ongoing development of operational criteria will 
necessitate the incorporation of additional airworthiness criteria into 
the S-100 and may also necessitate future clarity of the airworthiness 
criteria published in the Airworthiness Criteria for the FlightScan 
Camcopter S-100, available in the docket. These may include but are not 
necessarily limited to the following--
    1. Command and Control (*) \3\--UAS control and communications link 
security is a key safety and interoperability requirement in 
integrating civil UAS into the National Airspace System NAS;
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Criteria that have not yet been developed are identified 
with an asterisk (*).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    2. Sense and Avoid (SAA) Equipage (*)--SAA systems could serve as a 
means of compliance with 14 CFR 91.113 right-of-way rules and others. 
Issues associated with the use of SAA systems to comply with 14 CFR 91 
requirements and others, if any, must be identified; and
    3. Noise Act Finding (*)--Noise standards have not been developed 
for UAS.

Proposed Airworthiness Criteria

    The FAA has not previously published airworthiness criteria for 
UAS. The FAA proposes new type certification airworthiness criteria for 
the FlightScan Camcopter S-100 as found in Airworthiness Criteria for 
the FlightScan Camcopter S-100, Revision 0, dated November 3, 2017. 
Locate the document at https://www.regulations.gov using docket number 
FAA-2017-1058.

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 8, 2017.
Pat Mullen,
Manager, Small Airplane Standards Branch, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-24866 Filed 11-15-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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