Live blog: Get all your updates from #icaoRPAS here!

*This blog is no longer live.

September 21, 14:40

And that’s a wrap on #icaoRPAS! Thanks for tuning in to the live blog. We’ll be live blogging #DroneEnable starting tomorrow, you can tune in to that here. It’ll kick off at 9AM EST.

 

 

September 21, 14:27

Stephen Creamer, Director, ICAO Air Navigation Bureau summarizes some key themes that came forth in this #icaoRPAS Symposium in his closing remarks: the recognition of the need for an international regulatory framework, an understanding of competency-based training and the importance of applying and assessing that training, as well as the discussions based on autonomy versus automation.

 

September 21, 14:21

Mr. Stephen Creamer, Director, ICAO Air Navigation Bureau, is now on stage giving the closing remarks at #icaoRPAS

 

September 21, 14:14

Leslie Cary, RPAS Programme Manager, ICAO:

We need to balance economic potential of unmanned aviation, particularly with small drones, with safety and security.

 

September 21, 14:03

First up on this last afternoon of #icaoRPAS,  Ms. Leslie Cary, RPAS Programme Manager, ICAO is teasing what we can look forward to at #DroneEnable tomorrow and Saturday.

REMINDER! We’ll be live blogging #DroneEnable too. You can follow it here.

 

September 21, 12:35

We’re going to take a break for lunch, and the live blog will resume at 14:00 EST.

Something you can chat about during the break:  Today is the International Day of Peace. The 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation acknowledges the importance of aviation as a tool for fostering friendship among nations and created ICAO in order to support its development. Over 70 years later, we remain fully committed to this mandate.

 

September 21, 12:29

A little Q&A with our panel of experts before we break for lunch. #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/pZlndmtVvb

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 21, 2017

September 21, 12:18

Mr. Lawrence Lay, Portfolio Manager, The Boeing Company, talks of a “Freighter of the future,” an unmanned aircraft integrated into a manned airspace by the year 2030. Smart cabins,  increased levels of autonomy with a new platform, and the use of hybrid-electric technologies are all what the future holds for them.

September 21 11:58

 

P.Fossier of @thalesgroup: 37k+ remote pilots certified in ,7M drone registrations anticipated by 2020 #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/KI6Oowdqvu

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 21, 2017

September 21, 11:47

Mr. Pierre Fossier, Vice President, Chief Technical Officer, Thales, outlines the basic technological needs to address digital transformation:

  1. Connectivity
  2. Big data
  3. Cyber security
  4. Artificial intelligence

But why is digital transformation important? According to him, it is the key to optimizing flight operations.

 

September 21, 11:31

Ms. Muriel Preux, Directrice de Project Drones, DGAC:

 This is a innovative and growing sector in France, newcomers coming from different non-aeronautical jobs.

She goes on to list some challenges when dealing with “hobbyists” of the small drones world: the public is largely unaware of regulations and have to be informed, the impact on CAAs communication and the fact that AISPs have to deliver adapted aeronautical information.

 

 

September 21, 11:23

Mr. Randy Willis, Manager, Emerging Technologies Office, FAA United States is presenting on the considerations of RPAS/UAS integration into non-segregated airspace. Some policy considerations he highlights are:

  1. Policy maturation takes time, it is typically incremental and stems from lessons learned
  2. Feedback from operators is crucial, from operational data collection to incident/accident data
  3. Collaboration within the organization is essential, it must be harmonized and complementary
  4. Safety management, including identifying risks and mitigations

 

September 21, 11:16

 

Our panel of experts from @icao @FAANews @Thales and @Boeing #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/EWPrn9H1qW

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 21, 2017

September 21, 11:08

We’re back and ready to tackle the second session of the day. Our experts on stage are:

Moderator:

  • Mr. Miguel Marin, Acting Chief, Operational Safety Section, ICAO

Presenters:

  • Mr. Randy Willis, Manager, Emerging Technologies Office, FAA United States
  • Ms. Muriel Preux, Directrice de Project Drones, DGAC France
  • Mr. Pierre Fossier, Vice President, Chief Technical Officer, Thales
  • Mr. Lawrence Ley, Integrated Airspace Solutions Portfolio Manager, The Boeing Company

September 21, 10:27

A spirited Q&A session followed the presentation this morning, the audience submitted quite a few questions. A strong theme of the discussion was that we need to strive for a seamless integration of RPAS into the ATM environment, but it will take collaboration and fully utilizing the technologies in development for this to happen. Safety is the priority for everybody in this room.

It’s time for a quick coffee break, we’ll be back at 11AM EST!

September 21, 10:08

One common theme that is emerging with almost every presentation at #icaoRPAS is the human factor, and the importance of competent and trained personnel in RPAS operations. Captain Jim Pala,  IFALPA, touched on that yet again when presenting IFALPA’s position on RPAS:

Every UAS should have, at all times, a responsible person in command, who is suitably trained and qualified with an independent safety mandate, responsibe for the safe operations of the flight, mission or task.

 

September 21, 9:58

Mr. Mike Lissone, UAS ATM Integration Manager, EUROCONTROL , outlines some integration challenges:

  1. Detect and avoid: systems based on rules of the air, integrity, interoperability
  2. C2 link: will we have enough spectrum to accomodate these issues? What about the RLP?
  3. Aircraft performance: evaluated based on turn performance, the climb and descent, and speed
  4. Contingency procedures: we want them to be harmonised, predictable, with automatic response, published

 

September 21, 9:50

Mr. Doug Davis, CANSO says the future of RPAS is brings into light the automation versus autonomy discussion, focused on the following questions.

  1. Increased automation increases predictability, but how do we certify autonomy? Is it affordable?
  2. Can we integrate RPAS into ATM in a way that automation improves overall safety? How do we prove it?

 

September 21, 9:38

Mr. Rob Eagles, Director Infrastructure, IATA says that the scope and the growth of RPAS/UAS  is exceptional; from small to large aircraft, low to high altitudes, and the usage of  new and advanced technology to conduct basic to highly complex, evolving operations.

In light of this he has identified what he calls new aviation actors; what is needed to face this tremendous growth:

  • New thinking
  • New technology
  • New investment
  • New way of doing things

September 21, 9:26

Mr. Robert Stallard, IFATCA:

Human factors and training requirements should be a priority from the onset of integrating RPAS into the UTM environment.

 

September 21, 9:16

Representatives from @icao @eurocontrol @ifatca @ifalpa @IATA and @CANSONews make up our first panel at #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/jszixiVHqN

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 21, 2017

September 21, 9:11

Up on stage to discuss what the introduction of RPAS means to the ATM environment are:

Moderator:

  • Mr. Chris Dalton, Chief of Airspace Management & Optimization Section, ICAO

Presenters:

  • Mr. Mike Lissone, UAS ATM Integration Manager, EUROCONTROL
  • Mr. Robert Stallard, IFATCA
  • Mr. Rob Eagles, Director Infrastructure, IATA
  • Captain Jim Pala, IFALPA
  • Mr. Doug Davis, CANSO

September 21, 9:07

Good morning everyone and welcome back to the #icaoRPAS live blog! it’s the last day of this Symposium, but I’ll also be live blogging the #DroneEnable conference tomorrow and Saturday.

To start us off, Ms. Leslie Cary, RPAS Programme Manager, ICAO Air Navigation Bureau, is giving the opening remarks.

 

September 20, 17:36

And that’s all for today from #icaoRPAS! The live blog will resume tomorrow at 9AM EST.

September 20, 17:26

 

Final order today is a brief Q&A session with the panelists, based on their presentations this afternoon. #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/T35EpxRlS6

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 20, 2017

September 20, 17:14

Mr. Nick Rogers, CRTO/Co-founder, Sky-Futures makes a case on why drones are beneficial for industrial inspection:

  1. They are safer
  2. They are faster (up to 8x faster than conventional techniques)
  3. They are cheaper (approx. 85% more cost effective)
  4. They acquire better data

September 20, 16:54

Mr. Mike Gadd, Business and Technical Lead UAS and Cyber Programmes, United Kingdom CAA, says that UAS are aircraft, simply an evolution of aviation. He goes on to explain that UAS operations, for the United Kingdom CAA, are broken down into two components: they look at the aircraft to deem it safe to fly, and they look at the operator to deem them competent to fly safely.

 

 

September 20, 16:42

Robert Hannaford, Technical Director, runs us through some of the work and operator qualifications at UAV & Drone Solutions Ltd. #icaoRPAS pic.twitter.com/O2xf4hTzFH

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 20, 2017

September 20, 16:33

Mr. Zia Meer, Flight Operations Inspector, South Africa CAA, on the way forward for RPAS:

  • Recruitment and training of suitable technical personnel
  • Review, amend and streamline internal processes
  • Streamline and strengthen rules of engagement with stakeholders and partners
  • Keep in step with global initiative on RPAS development

 

 


September 20, 16:23

 

Our final panel today at #icaoRPAS has experts from @UK_CAA @SkyFutures @OfficialSACAA and more. https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/yfpd6sg0Mg

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 20, 2017

September 20, 16:15

Time for our final panel of the day at #icaoRPAS. On stage, our experts are:

Moderator:

  • Mr. Jim Coyne, Technical Director, UAS International

Presenters:

  • Mr. Zia Meer, Flight Operations Inspector, South Africa CAA
  • Mr. Robert Hannaford, Technical Director, UAV & Drone Solutions Ltd.
  • Mr. Mike Gadd, Business and Technical Lead UAS and Cyber Programmes, United Kingdom CAA
  • Mr. Nick Rogers, CRTO/Co-founder, Sky-Futures

 

September 20, 15:31

Time for some coffee, we’ll be back at 16:00 EST

September 20, 15:27

We have both operators and regulators in the audience at #icaoRPAS, which leads to some very interesting and informative Q&A sessions with our panels of experts. The experts on stage are currently fielding quite a few questions that present both sides of the licensing authority coin.

September 20, 15:13

Ms. Wimen Fong, Legal Advisor, ACSA/COCESNA is presenting on building competency within the licensing authority. She outlines the five training steps for inspector competency:

1) An inspector proves to be proficient in all areas assessed (skills, knowledge and attitude)

2) The inspector moves to the OJT phase where she/he will demonstrate what has been learned

3) The application of rules and procedures is standardized

4) Continuous training to maintain competencies

5) Progressive training, to develop additional competencies required by change or by evolution

 

September 20, 15:00

Mr. Jim Coyne, Technical Director, UAS International:

The beauty of having a set of competencies is that it focuses not on what a person can do but on what a person can LEARN.

 

 

September 20, 14:42

Mr. Farid Zizi, Scientific Advisor International Affairs, DGAC France says one of the challenges they face is structuring the competency based framework to express all the competencies without describing the variety of contexts and technological conditions.

 

September 20, 14:31

Mr. Henry Defalque, Technical Officer, ICAO, helps us differentiate traditional training versus competency based training.

Traditional training, he says, is qualification based. It is about meeting and maintaining the qualifications requirements, and it is usually expressed in quantitative terms,

Competency based training takes on more of an integrative approach to achieved the desired outcome. It focuses on developing the competencies to be safe, highly effective and efficient in the performance of duties. Feedback on training and the graduate’s performance is critical for the evaluation of the course.

 

September 20, 14:22

The panel of experts for the licensing authority session. #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/S54h4Gchjo

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 20, 2017

September 20, 14:09

Welcome back as we kick off the afternoon at #icaoRPAS. Our panelists are making their way on stage:

Moderator:

  • Mr. Jim Dow, ICCAIA Air Transport Representative to ICAO

Presenters:

  • Mr. Henry Defalque, Technical Officer, ICAO
  • Mr. Farid Zizi, Scientific Advisor International Affairs, DGAC France
  • Mr. Jim Coyne, Technical Director, UAS International
  • Ms. Wimen Fong, Legal Advisor, ACSA/COCESNA

 

September 20, 12:20

Many participants in the crowd today travelled from near and far to attend this Symposium, and hopefully they will get some time to visit and tour beautiful Montreal after. Did you know that 27 September is World Tourism Day? Learn more on how #tourism contributes to sustainable development and join the conversation on social media with the hashtag #WTD2017

September 20, 12:15

Time for a lunch break, this one sponsored by Thales:

The live blog from #icaoRPAS will resume at 14:00 EST.

 

September 20, 12:06

The panel of experts weigh in on the takeaways of the morning. #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/toVWNT0zWD

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 20, 2017

September 20, 11:57

Ms. Ashley Lauryssen, Senior Training Expert, EUROCONTROL, on some of the points that stood out to her this morning:

One of the things that is coming out of this morning,  having listened to operators, is a common thread: we talked about common competencies. Even though our operations may be different from one another, there are a certain number of competencies that, irrespective of tasks associated with what you’re doing, irrespective of the type of operations you perform, you still need these competencies.

 

September 20, 11:45

Stuart McGlynn is presenting on some of @TheCyberhawk pilot training programs #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/N6Gw6aioBz

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 20, 2017

September 20,  11:31

Mr. Edwin Kimzey, Pilot, Test Operations, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., emphasizes that competency based training is “not a video game. There’s 10,000lbs of aircraft and 10M$ of aircraft you’re responsible for.”

A typical training syllabus at General Atomics Aeronautical  Systems Inc. consists of classroom time, 10 hours of simulation, and 40 hours of aircraft time. Requirements include launch sequences, touch and go’s, take offs, instrument approaches and full-stop landings.

The foundations of training for this are:

  1. Aircraft control
  2. System knowledge
  3. Crew resource management
  4. Safety/judgment

September 20, 11:20

Mr. David Hansell, Aviation Policy, Facebook:

Competency based training provides a foundation of educational training and knowledge on which we can build.

 

September 20, 11:16

David Hansell of @facebook runs us through the AQUILA project #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/JTkzwDV96F

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 20, 2017

September 20, 11:05

We’re now ready to tackle the second panel of the day, with a few returning panelists. On stage are:

Moderator:

  • Mr. Farid Zizi, Scientific Advisor International Affairs, DGAC France

Presentations:

  • Mr. David Hansell, Aviation Policy, Facebook
  • Mr. Edwin Kimzey, Pilot, Test Operations, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.
  • Mr. Stuart McGlynn, Regulatory Policy & Flight Permissions, Cyberhawk Innovations Ltd.
  • Ms. Nicole Barrette-Sabourin, ICAO (retired)
  • Ms. Ashley Lauryssen, Senior Training Expert, EUROCONTROL

September 20, 10:36

Time for a coffee break, sponsored by IATA:

 

September 20, 10:29

Dr. Brent Terwillinger, Masters of Science, Unmanned Systems Program Chair, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, is outlining the UAS/RPAS training design that they use.

The design includes:

  • Hybrid educational approach
  •  Derive KSAs relative to roles
  • Identify consistent, reliable, appropriate tools and solicit industry feedback and guidance
  • Introduce students to a variety of platforms and tasks

September 20, 10:18

 

Dr. Brent Terwillinger of @EmbryRiddle: there's a need for consistent, flexible training. #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/9hIe7OV1hN

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 20, 2017

Septemner 20, 10:09

Mr. Farid Zizi, Scientific Advisor International Affairs, DGAC France, highlight the remote pilot licensing performance expectations:

  1. Assure the safety of airspace
  2. Assure the safety of overflown people

But what does that mean? It means:

  • Having situational awareness
  • Maintaining the integrity of the system
  • Conducting the mission according to procedures
  • Communicating efficiently with ATC
  • Managing unusual situations


September 20,  9:56

Mr.Timothy Schoenauer, Global MPL Leader, CAE Ab Initio Training, Civil Division says training programmes must be customized and adapted to type of operation, locations, systems, etc.

Multi-Crew pilot licensing, according to him, contains training programs based on:

  1. Operational environment
  2. End-goal aircraft
  3. Available training resources
  4. Time and support from the airline and authority

 

 

September 20, 9:34

Ms. Nicole Barrette-Sabourin, ICAO (retired):

Competencies are not only about what you do, the tasks you perform, but how you do them.

 

September 20, 9:23

Ms. Ashley Lauryssen, Senior Training Expert, EUROCONTROL talks of a local competency-based training model including initial training, unit training and refresher training. She says when everyone (students, instructors and assessors) have the same idea in their mind on what competencies are required, then the training becomes more focused, more consistent, and highly relevant to the job the person is doing.

 

September 20, 9:14

First panel of the day features representation from @eurocontrol @EmbryRiddle and @CAE_Inc #icaoRPAS https://t.co/nBLoUkknJO pic.twitter.com/r16MNSBNRe

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 20, 2017

September 20, 9:08

First panel of the day:

Moderator:

  • Mr. Farid Zizi, Scientific Advisor International Affairs, DGAC France

Presentations:

  • Ms. Nicole Barrette-Sabourin, ICAO (retired)
  • Ms. Ashley Lauryssen, Senior Training Expert, EUROCONTROL
  • Dr. Brent Terwillinger, Masters of Science, Unmanned Systems Program Chair, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • Mr.Timothy Schoenauer, Global MPL Leader, CAE Ab Initio Training, Civil Division

 

 

September 20, 9:03

Welcome back to the #icaoRPAS live blog! another full day is in store with presentations on competency-base dtraining, licensing and operator responsibilities.

Ms. Leslie Cary, RPAS Programme Manager, ICAO Air Navigation Bureau is on stage giving the opening remarks.

 

September 19, 17:30

That’s all for today, from #icaoRPAS. Join us again tomorrow morning at 9:00AM EST for day 2 of this Symposium.

September 19, 17:21

Some great audience engagement here at #icaoRPAS, we’re wrapping up the first day with a Q & A from our panel of experts regarding the status of regulatory framework.

 

September 19, 17:09

Mr. Mike Lissone, Secretary General, JARUS: We are in the middle of an industry revolution. #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/liJHhUTDuS

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 19, 2017

September 19, 16:55

Mr. Yves Morier, Director for Civil Aviation and UAS, EASA presents on the introduction of a regulatory framework for the operation of drones in the open and specific category.

September 19, 16:34

Mr. Michael W. Brown, Aviation Safety Analyst, FAA, United States:

 The FAA’s focus is the operation of small (less than 25 kg) unmanned aircraft, the registration of those aircraft, and the certification of remote pilots.

September 19, 16:19

Ms. Leslie Cary, RPAS Programme Manager, ICAO, is highlighting the RPAS workstream.

The RPAS workstream strives for a common objective: to have remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) operate alongside manned aircraft, as a predictable, cooperative airspace. The RPAS panel will develop the regulatory framework for RPAS to conduct IFR operations in controlled non segregated airspace/aerodromes.

 

September 19, 16:11

 

The panel of experts for the last session at #icaoRPAS. Representatives from @TIACAorg @FAANews @EASA and more. https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/Ru3Q7ObPeO

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 19, 2017

September 19, 16:03

Our final panel of the day is happening, taking the stage are:

Moderator:

  • Mr. Vladimir Zubkov, Secretary General, The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA)

Presentations:

  • Ms. Leslie Cary, RPAS Programme Manager, ICAO
  • Mr. Michael W. Brown, Aviation Safety Analyst, FAA, United States
  • Mr. Yves Morier, Director for Civil Aviation and UAS, EASA
  • Mr. Mike Lissone, Secretary General, Joint Authorities on Rule-making for Unmanned Systems (JARUS)

September 19, 15:24

A Q&A sessions is wrapping up with our panelists, and now it’s time for a quick coffee break at #icaoRPAS. The live blog will continue at 16:00 EST.

September 19, 15:16

 

The experts of @Frontex @NASA @UN participate in a Q&A #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/SgY5TN5XDb

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 19, 2017

September 19, 15:10

Mr. Brandon Suarez, Senior Staff Engineer, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. is getting into detail on what the future of RPAS looks like–literally. His presentation slides have photos of prototypes with detailed features including Flight Management Systems (FMS) capabilities and other technologies.

 

September 19, 14:57

 

Mr. Ovais Ahmed, Chief, Aviation Safety Section, @UN: What we need is your help. #icaoRPAS

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 19, 2017

September 19, 14:48

Mr. Ovais Ahmed, Chief, Aviation Safety Section, United Nations, is giving examples of the projects and missions that the United Nations uses RPAS for. Essentially, the United Nations divide their RPAS tasks into two categories: peace keeping and humanitarian.

 

September 19, 14:38

 

C. Johnson: @NASA is looking at a comprehensive strategy for RPAS integration with a focus on developing public confidence & trust #icaoRPAS

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 19, 2017

September 19, 14:32

Mr. Chuck Johnson, Senior Advisor for UAS Integration UAS-NAS Project, NASA, is detailing some of the amazing projects that NASA has used UAS for.

NASA has collected infrared images of active fire hot spots and transmitted them  in near real-time to fire fighters. Referred to as “Fire Missions” the goal is to provide fire personnel and incident commanders with automated, on board-terrain and geo-rectified sensor imagery over horizon satellite communications (SATCOM) links. Fire personnel usually gets this imagery within 10 minutes of data acquisition.

They also collected imagery over time to measure the characteristics of sea ice, in the Sierra Mizopex Mission. The imagery of the UAS was used to determine whether or not the warming of the marginal ice zone (MIZ) in the Arctic ocean is being accurately estimated by the satellite models. This helps to better characterize sea ice survival rates in the transition zones between open ocean and permanent ice.

 

 

September 19, 14:16

 

Representatives from @IATA @UN @NASA set the scene for us this afternoon at #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/nyFW2n6FgN

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 19, 2017

September 19, 13:58

Welcome back to the live blog from #icaoRPAS. First up this afternoon is a session that will showcase a diverse set of current and  near-term operations and training experience from around the world. These presentations will highlight the need for a comprehensive and harmonized regulatory framework to support the growth and development.

Moderator:

  • Mr. Catalin Cotrut, Director IATA Audit Programs

Presentations:

  • Mr. Zdravko Kolev, Research Officer, Frontex, European Border Coast Guard Agency
  • Mr. Chuck Johnson, Senior Advisor for UAS Integration UAS-NAS Project, NASA
  • Mr. Ovais Ahmed, Chief, Aviation Safety Section, United Nations
  • Mr. Brandon Suarez, Senior Staff Engineer, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. -term operations and training experience form around the world.

September 19, 12:21

What a morning! That’s a wrap on the first few sessions of #icaoRPAS.  The importance of a regulatory framework and the emphasis on collaboration were strong themes across all the speeches.

We’re going to take break before we continue on this afternoon at 14:15 EST. Thanks to Esri for sponsoring this lunch!

Sidenote: In talking about cooperation and collaboration, why don’t you join us in Greece? ICAO will be holding the Second Global Aviation Cooperation Symposium in beautiful Athens, Greece. It’s only 21 days away but there’s still a few spots left to register!

September 19, 12:11

Mr. Jan Pie, Chairman, ICCAIA & Secretary General, AeroSpace and Defense Industries Association of Europe (ASD) points to the number of new market activities where drones can be used. He says we are already seeing that drones can do the job that is very difficult to do.

However, he says to move forward, it’s very important that we have a collective, clear mind about the instructions and directions of a regulatory framework. Businesses won’t be able to invest in new technologies and developing them without having the regulations in place.

 

September 19, 12:00

Mr. David Gamper, Director Safety, Technical and Legal Affairs, ACI, says that close collaboration between RPAS operators, manufacturers, air traffic managers and airports will be required as we look at integrating unmanned traffic. What we need is seamless integration and to maintain safety levels. He says collaboration will drive us forward.

 

 

 

September 19, 11:51

Mr. Jeff Poole, Director General, CANSO:

Safety and collaboration go hand in hand.

I would elaborate more, but his verbatim quote is actually quite perfect. Says it all.

 

September 19, 11:48

Mr. Gilberto Lopez Meyer, Senior Vice President, Safety & Flight Operations, details the 6 components of the IATA safety strategy:

  1. Reduce operational risk
  2. Ensure quality and compliance
  3. Advocate for improved aviation structure
  4. Support effective recruitment and training
  5. Identify and address emerging safety issues
  6. Support consistent implementation of SMS

September 19, 11:44

Mr. Gilberto Lopez Meyer is running us through the 6-step safety strategy of @IATA AT #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/tTVzhiUFbe

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 19, 2017

September 19, 11:33

The purpose of this panel is establishing how we can enable safe operation, particularly how we will have to collaborate to ensure that all the aspects of safe operations are covered.

Mr. Brian Wynne, President and CEO, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) says that unmanned aircraft are not just a cool technology that we can use in a lot of ways. Regulatory infrastructure is trying to keep up with technological development, which itself is trying to keep up with demand”

He points to the work of unmanned aircraft in recent wildfires, as an example.  Unmanned systems can fly at night, fly into reduced visibility and provide aid, for a fraction of the cost.

September 19, 11:25

The panel of experts talk collaborating to enable safe operations at #icaoRPAS https://t.co/SHCGElahlv pic.twitter.com/B62vCWqO0Z

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 19, 2017

September 19, 11:11

We’re back and fully caffeinated, ready to tackle our first panel at #icaoRPAS. On stage are:

Moderator:

  • Mr. Mike Gadd, Business and Technical Lead UAS and Cyber Programmes, United Kingdom CAA

Panel discussion:

  • Mr. Brian Wynne, President and CEO, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI)
  • Mr. Gilberto Lopez Meyer, Senior Vice President, Safety & Flight Operations, IATA
  • Mr. Jeff Poole, Director General, CANSO
  • Mr. David Gamper, Director Safety, Technical and Legal Affairs, ACI
  • Mr. Jan Pie, Chairman, ICCAIA & Secretary General, AeroSpace and Defense Industries Association of Europe (ASD)

 

 

 

September 19, 10:30

The keynote speeches have wrapped up, it’s now time for our first coffee break. Thanks AeroVironment Inc. for the java!

 

September 19, 10:23

Mr. Tan Kah Han of @SingaporeCAAS Civil drones will become an important enabler to meet both economic and strategic outcomes for countries pic.twitter.com/SVHmhH8heP

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 19, 2017

September 19, 10:07

Mr. Earl Lawrence, Director, UAS Integration Office, FAA, United States:

All of us here today are here to write the story of unmanned aircraft, a story that includes collaboration, innovation, and most importantly, the shared commitment to safety. It is just beginning of the story, and it is one that we will continue to write together. The future is limited only by our imaginations.

September 19, 10:01

As per Mr. Alessandro Cardi, Deputy Director General, Ente Nazionale per l’Aviazone Civile (ENAC), UAS can play an important role in the social and economic development of our countries. There is a need for rules that protect the general public but that also facilitate business and inspire confidence and general acceptance by the general public.

 

September 19, 9:58

Representation from @FAANews @SingaporeCAAS on stage for keynote speeches. Mr. Alessandro Cardi of ENAC begins. https://t.co/enAqbvpdn4 pic.twitter.com/gIkQZHdQpO

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 19, 2017

September 19, 9:51

Time for some keynote speeches, on stage we have:

  • Mr. Alessandro Cardi, Deputy Director General, Ente Nazionale per l’Aviazone Civile (ENAC)
  • Mr. Earl Lawrence, Director, UAS Integration Office, FAA, United States
  • Mr. Tan Kah Han, Senior Director for Safety Regulation, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore

19 September, 9:44

Dr. Aliu spoke of the rise in popularity of RPAS and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), leading to new opportunities and challenges in the UTM environment.  He encourages open discussions and collaborations between manned and unmanned operations, to ensure the safety of all. Dr. Aliu emphasized the significant potential of UAS and its challenges will require our collaborative efforts.. The RPAS symposium and the DRONE ENABLE will play a critical role in the future of our work together.

 

19 September, 9:36

And here we go! Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, President of the Council of ICAO, has the stage for the opening remarks.

 

September 19, 9:14

Getting ready for #icaoRPAS, welcoming remarks are scheduled for 9:30AM EST. Live blog: https://t.co/enAqbvpdn4 pic.twitter.com/VhD6YFXz3v

— Lisa Williams (@lwilliamsICAO) September 19, 2017

September 19, 8:43

Good morning everyone and welcome to the #icaoRPAS live blog! Lisa Williams here, your live blogger for this Symposium as well as for DRONE ENABLE on Friday and Saturday.

We’ll be getting started soon, check back around 9AM EST for the kick-off of this Symposium.

18 September, 10:01

It’s almost time! Check back tomorrow at 9AM EST for the launch of the live blog from the Second Global Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Symposium. That’s a mouthful (and a lot to type), so just use #icaoRPAS to follow the conversation on social media.

Spoiler: I will also be live blogging DRONE ENABLE, ICAO’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Industry Symposium, from 22-23 September. #DroneEnable is the tag you”ll want to be following for that one.