FAA Information Collection Request: UAS Integration at Airports and Droneport Infrastructure Needs

The FAA is seeking OMB approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 to conduct a new information collection effort focused on how unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are being integrated into existing airports and standalone drone facilities known as droneports. This follows a 60-day public comment period that was initiated on February 2, 2024. The collection will involve written responses or structured interviews with a wide range of aviation stakeholders including airport operators, drone industry vendors, original equipment manufacturers, academia, military representatives, and private entities. During the interviews or written submissions, stakeholders will be asked a standardized set of questions, with fact-specific follow-up questions used when necessary to clarify responses. The goal is to catalog current and planned droneport planning, design, and physical infrastructure needs, as well as identify which airports are actively integrating UAS operations into their environments. A key output of this research is the potential development of a formal FAA definition for 'droneport,' which currently does not exist in official FAA regulations. For the purposes of this study, the FAA is using a modified version of the 14 CFR Part 1 definition of 'airport,' defining a droneport as 'an area of land or water used or intended for the landing and takeoff of UAS aircraft, including its buildings and facilities, if any.' The data collected will directly inform future FAA research priorities, and may lead to the creation of formal standards and guidance materials for droneport design and UAS airport integration.

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