'Rise' of the Machines: FAA Publishes Plans for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations

On November 7, the FAA released its first annual Roadmap outlining efforts to integrate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the national airspace system safely, including the policies, regulations, technologies, and procedures to make civil and commercial UAS operations a reality. The Roadmap, released along with the Joint Planning and Development Office's Comprehesive Plan to accelerate UAS integration, and FAA's final Privacy Plan requirements for the six UAS Test Sites that will be selected later this year (discussed here) are good news for aerospace manufacturers and other industries interested in UAS development, including agriculture, oil and gas, and law enforcement.p>