Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations - SM4 Safety Articles & Resources

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Man flying drone at sunset

The 5 Essential Steps of UAS Site Assessments

Most often, the crucial moment for avoiding an accident in aviation—whether you’re the pilot of a manned craft or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)—is not when you’re airborne, but when…

Posted on November 6, 2019
Group of four men flying drone in a field

8 Tips from a Manned and Unmanned Pilot for Safely Flying a Drone in Extreme Weather Conditions

As the drone industry and FAA drone regulations expand, more and more industries are finding use cases to launch drones for daily operations. Some of these missions, of course, take…

Posted on April 1, 2019
Drone flying at night above large city

Improving Safety: Understanding sUAS Autonomous Capabilities

There’s absolutely no doubt about it: the future of commercial unmanned aircraft operations will revolve around autonomy. Without autonomy, sUAS lose many of the core benefits that have fueled their…

Posted on December 5, 2018
Group of four men piloting a drone

Developing a Safety Culture Through an Internal Pilot Qualification Program

As the small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) industry continues to grow rapidly, large organizations are latching on to this industry‐altering technology and creating various models to scale and implement unmanned…

Posted on June 1, 2018
Drone flying at night above large city

sUAS Crisis Management: Ensuring Successful Communications During Crisis Response Operations

In 2017, the United States endured many natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and other forms of destruction. Throughout these national crises and incidents, the small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) industry launched…

Posted on January 5, 2018
Drone flying above countryside

Maximizing Safety and Minimizing Risk in Unmanned Aircraft Operations

In June 2016, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published its long-awaited rules governing the commercial use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the National Airspace System (NAS). The rules…

Posted on August 10, 2016
Drone flying at sunset

FAA Proposed Rules for Small UAS Fall Short

In February 2015 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released its long-awaited Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) on rules for small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS). The proposed rules outline both…

Posted on August 3, 2015
Large drone flying in cloudless sky

Safety Culture for Small UAS Operators

With the upcoming release of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) governing small “Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)”, there is increased focus on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) ability to safely…

Posted on January 9, 2015