The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has said that drone deliveries, drone inspections and even flying taxis are now near term realities for societies all over the world. ICAO equally added that “as the development of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and UAS traffic management (UTM) continues to advance, governments and operators need to focus on how the next evolution of aircraft, both manned and unmanned, can safely integrate into finite airspace.”
Recognizing that an agreed global approach will greatly assist businesses and others in launching their UAS services without negatively impacting the safety of manned aviation operations, or the safety of persons and property on the ground, ICAO has said it will be exploring these issues in depth at its fourth annual DRONE ENABLE event taking place this 9-11 September in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
According to ICAO, a key process informing DRONE ENABLE discussions is the issuance by ICAO of advance requests for information (RFIs). It stated that the deadline for RFI submissions for the Fourth DRONE ENABLE is 17 April. The main topic areas being targeted this year include Unmanned aircraft (UA) performance requirements in a UTM environment; UTM system certification, as well as UTM integration into airport environments and activities.
“All RFI responses will be evaluated by a group of international experts, and those responsible for the best submissions will have the opportunity to present at this year’s DRONE ENABLE event in Rio,” ICAO also stated.