aircraft or airports across the U.S. from July 2018 through December 2018. Thirty‐seven
of the sightings were in Arizona with the majority in the Phoenix metro area. The
1,075 sightings in the last six months of 2018 shows a large increase of sightings
compared to 2015, which had a total of 874 sightings for the entire year. Technology can
be utilized to limit the range of UASs and thereby limit hazards. Geofencing uses GPS or
radio frequency identification to create a geographic boundary that location‐aware
devices avoid. However, few manufacturers have incorporated this technology into their
UASs, as it is not required by law.
The FAA conducted an Aerospace Forecast for fiscal years 2016 to 2036 that estimated
the future sales of UASs in the Unites States. The forecast estimated 1.9 million potential
annual sales for small UAS, hobbyist model aircraft, with a predicted increase to
4.3 million units sold annually by 2020. For small commercial UASs (non‐model aircraft),
600,000 annual sales are predicted for 2016, increasing to 2.7 million by 2020. This
equates to a total sales forecast for small UASs of 2.5 million in 2016, increasing to seven
million annual sales by 2020. This forecast was completed before recent restrictions
were enacted by the FAA, which may affect future sales numbers.
Because of the continued increase in use and reports of improper operation of UASs, the
FAA has enacted regulations and limitations on UASs flying over areas such as national
parks, military bases, and within a five‐mile radius of airports. Figure 5‐4 illustrates a map
of the JLUS Project Area and locations where UASs are not authorized, or where they
require advance permission to operate.
The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 also established rules for
non‐commercial / recreational use of model aircraft. Under these rules, civilian UASs are
limited to 55 pounds and must be manually operated to ensure that they do not interfere
with any manned aircraft. FAA regulations state that if a civilian or commercial user
wants to use a UAS within five miles of an airport or airfield, they must coordinate and
get prior approval from the airport / airfield operator before conducting such activity.
The Act also requires an operator to receive a Section 333 exemption–a “full COA” issued
by the FAA–and a letter of agreement with the airport sponsor before flying a UAS within
five miles of an airport. The operator must also maintain visual line of sight with the UAS.
In December 2015, the FAA established a UAS registry, requiring anyone who owns a
small unmanned aircraft more than 0.55 pounds to register it before flying it outdoors.
People who do not register could face civil and criminal penalties. The maximum civil
penalty is a fine of up to $27,500, with criminal penalties reaching $250,000 or three
years in prison. However, the FAA lacks the resources to enforce the rule, so it depends
on local law enforcement to stop unauthorized use of UASs. In January 2015, the FAA
released a law enforcement guide, Law Enforcement Guidance for Suspected
5-52
Compatibility Assessment