UAS operations in the national  airspace system are considered on a case-by-case basis. FAA’s Six Test Sites Are Operational and Beginning to Conduct UAS Flights

Since being named in December 2013, the six designated test sites have  become operational, applying for and receiving authorization from FAA to  conduct test flights. These flights provide operations and safety data to FAA in support of  UAS integration. Test site  officials meet every two weeks with FAA officials to discuss current  issues, challenges, and progress. In  addition, test sites have developed operational and safety processes that  have been reviewed by FAA. Thus, while FAA has no funding directed to  the test sites to specifically support research and development activities,  FAA dedicates time and resources to supporting the test sites, and FAA  staff we spoke to believe test sites are a benefit to the integration process  and worth this investment. The Other Transaction Agreement between  FAA and the test sites defines the purpose of the test sites as research  and testing in support of safe UAS integration into the national airspace. Other Countries Have Progressed with UAS Integration to Allow some Level of Commercial UAS Use

As part of our ongoing work, we identified a number of countries that  allow commercial UAS operations and have done so for years. For example, as of  December 2014, Australia had issued over 180 UAS operating certificates  to businesses engaged in aerial surveying, photography, and other lines  of business. While UAS commercial operations can occur in some  countries, there are restrictions controlling their use. We studied the UAS regulations of Australia, Canada, France, and the  United Kingdom and found these countries impose similar types of  requirements and restrictions on commercial UAS operations. In  November 2014, Canada issued new rules creating exemptions for  commercial use of small UASs weighing 4.4 pounds or less and from 4.4  pounds to 55 pounds. If UASs were to begin flying today in the national airspace system under  the provisions of FAA’s proposed rules, their operating restrictions would  be similar to regulations in these other four countries. This category goes beyond FAA’s  proposed rules by proposing regulations for large UAS operations and  operations beyond the pilot’s visual line-of-sight. For example, three  UAS industry stakeholders and FAA teamed up to launch an informational  website for UAS operators.
Why GAO Did This Study

UAS—often called drones—are aircraft that do not carry a pilot but instead operate on pre-programmed routes or are manually controlled. Currently, UAS only operate in the United States with FAA approval on a case-by-case basis. However, in the absence of regulations, unauthorized UAS operations have, in some instances, compromised safety.
The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 emphasized the need to integrate UAS into the national airspace by requiring that FAA establish requirements governing them. In response, FAA has taken a number of steps, most notably,
issuing an NPRM for small UAS operations, and
designating six UAS test sites which became operational in 2014 and have begun to conduct test flights.
Other countries have started to integrate UAS as well, and many currently allow commercial operations.
This testimony provides preliminary observations on 1) status of FAA's test sites, 2) how other countries have progressed integrating UAS for commercial purposes, and 3) critical steps for FAA going forward.
This testimony is based on GAO's ongoing study examining issues related to UAS integration into the national airspace system for UAS operations. To conduct this work, GAO reviewed documents and met with officials from test sites, FAA, and industry stakeholders.

What GAO Found

Since becoming operational in 2014, the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) unmanned aerial systems (UAS) test sites have conducted over 195 flights across five of the six test sites. These flights provide operations and safety data that FAA can use in support of integrating UAS into the national airspace. FAA has not provided funding to the test sites in support of research and development activities but has provided staff time through, for example bi-weekly meetings to discuss ongoing issues with test site officials. FAA staff said that the sites are a benefit to the integration process and worth this investment.
GAO's preliminary observations found that other countries have progressed toward UAS integration and allow commercial use. GAO studied the UAS regulations in Australia, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom and found these countries have similar rules and restrictions on commercial UAS operations, such as allowing line of sight operations only. In November 2014, Canada issued new rules creating exemptions for UAS operations based on size and relative risk. In addition, as of December 2014, Australia had issued over 180 UAS operating certificates to businesses engaged in aerial surveying, photography, and other lines of business. Under the provisions of FAA's proposed rules, operating restrictions would be similar to regulations in these other four countries. For example, all countries have UAS altitude restrictions of 500 feet or below.