Review - FAA UAS Facility NPRM – Critical Infrastructure Qualifications

The FAA recently published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would allow critical infrastructure facilities to apply to the agency for designation as a unmanned aircraft flight restrictions (UAFR) zone, in accordance with the requirements of § 2209, of the FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act of 2016 {PL 114-190 (130 STAT. 634)}. This post looks at the critical infrastructure requirements that a facility must meet to successfully apply for such a designation. 

Earlier posts about this NPRM include: 

PHMSA Publishes UAS Facility Restriction NPRM, and 

FAA UAS Facility NPRM – UAFR Descriptions. 

The FAA was specifically tasked with establishing a process for critical infrastructure facilities to request UAFR designation. The problem faced by the FAA is that there are no current definitions of critical infrastructure that would help the FAA select the critical infrastructure facilities that would justify limiting access to the National Air Space. 

To deal with this problem, the FAA is proposing to establish specific criteria for each critical infrastructure sector to identify those facilities. Those criteria are outlined in Subpart C of the proposed Part 74. They include: 

• Chemical Sector (§ 74.81) 

• Commercial Facilities Sector (§ 74.82), 

• Communications Sector (§ 74.83), 

• Critical Manufacturing Sector (§ 74.84), 

• Dams Sector (§ 74.85), 

• Defense Industrial Base Sector (§ 74.86), 

• Emergency Services Sector (§ 74.87), 

• Energy Sector (§ 74.88), 

• Financial Services Sector (§ 74.89), 

• Food and Agriculture Sector (§ 74.90), 

• Government Services and Facilities Sector (§ 74.91), 

• Healthcare and Public Health Sector (§ 74.92), 

• Information Technology Sector (§ 74.93), 

• Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste Sector (§ 74.94), 

• Transportation Systems Sector (§ 74.95), 

• Water and Wastewater Systems Sector (§ 74.96) 

For more information on these sector criteria, including a detailed look at the chemical sector requirements, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/faa-uas-facility-nprm-critical-infrastructure - subscription required. 

Review - FAA UAS Facility NPRM – UAFR Descriptions

 As I reported earlier, the proposed rule from the FAA would establish two distinct classes of unmanned aircraft flight restrictions (UAFR) for facilities to meet the section 2209 {PL 114-190 (130 STAT. 634)}} mandate; standard UAFRs and special UAFRs. In this post, I will look at some of the differences between the two UAS control schemes. 

UAFR Description  

Section 49 CFR Subpart A defines two different types of unmanned aircraft flight restrictions (UAFRs): standard UAFRs (§74.5) and special UAFRs (§74.6). Generally speaking, a standard UAFR may be requested by owner/operators of fixed facilities meeting certain requirements (see the Eligible Facilities discussion below). Special UAFRs may only be requested by a Federal security or intelligence agency, the Department of Defense, or the Department of Energy. 

Operational Differences  

The operational difference between the two types of UAFRs relates to what types of UAS operations would be allowed through the UAFR. For standard UAFRs, with limited procedural conditions, the rule would allow categorical authorization of operations of UAS under following existing UAS operational rules: 

Part 91 Operations; if the unmanned aircraft is operated under 14 CFR part 91 with an airman certificate or as a Public Aircraft Operation, 

Part 107 Operations; if the unmanned aircraft is operated under 14 CFR part 107 with an airman certificate,  

Part 108 Operations; if the unmanned aircraft is operated under proposed 14 CFR part 108 as a permitted or certificated operation,  

Part 135 Operations; if the unmanned aircraft is operated under 14 CFR part 135 with a 14 CFR part 119 certificate, or 

Part 137 Operations; if the unmanned aircraft is operated under 14 CFR part 137 with an airman certificate and a 14 CFR part 137 certificate. 

For more information on the differences between UAFRs, see my article at CFSN Detailed Analysis - https://patrickcoyle.substack.com/p/faa-uas-facility-nprm-uafr-descriptions - subscription required.