Nov 10 -- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of Transportation (DOT), solicits nominations for appointment to the Advanced Aviation Advisory Committee (AAAC)—previously known as Drone Advisory Committee. Nominations must be received no later than 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 10, 2022.
The objective of the AAAC is to provide independent advice and recommendations to the FAA and in response to specific taskings received directly from the FAA. The advice, recommendations, and taskings relate to improving the efficiency and safety of integrating advanced aviation technologies—including unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and advanced air mobility (AAM), into the National Airspace System (NAS)—while equipping and enabling communities to inform how UAS, AAM and other technologies may operate in ways that are least impactful to those communities. In response to FAA requests, the AAAC may provide the FAA with information that may be used for tactical and strategic planning purposes.
This notice seeks to fill current and future vacancies on the AAAC and does not affect the status of AAAC members whose terms have not expired.
The AAAC acts solely in an advisory capacity and does not exercise program management responsibilities. Decisions directly affecting implementation of transportation policy will remain with the FAA Administrator and the Secretary of Transportation. The AAAC duties include:
a. Undertaking tasks only assigned by the FAA.
b. Deliberating on and approving recommendations for assigned tasks in meetings that are open to the public.
c. Responding to ad hoc informational requests from the FAA and/or providing input to the FAA on the overall AAAC structure (including structure of the subcommittees and or task groups).
Membership: The FAA will submit recommendations for membership to the Secretary of Transportation, who will appoint members to the AAAC. The membership must be equitably balanced in terms of points of view represented and the functions performed. The stakeholder groups represented on the AAAC include the following:
a. Airports and Airport Communities
b. Labor (controllers, pilots)
c. Local, State, Tribal and/or Territorial Government or Appropriate International Entity
d. Navigation, Communication, Surveillance, and Air Traffic Management Capability Providers
e. Research, Development, and Academia [at present, this category has only one member -- Robie Samanta Roy, COO, Electra.aero]
f. Traditional Manned Aviation Operators
g. UAS Hardware Component Manufacturers
h. UAS Manufacturers
i. Corporate UAS Operators
j. Citizen UAS Operators
k. UAS Software Application Manufacturers
l. Agricultural Interests
m. Advanced Air Mobility
n. Community Advocate
o. Industry Associations or other specific areas of interest
All AAAC members serve at the pleasure of the Secretary of Transportation. To the extent practicable, the membership of the AAAC shall include persons of diverse backgrounds in race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and gender. The AAAC will have no more than 41 members. Other membership terms include:
a. An appointment of up to two years.
b. Service without charge and without government compensation. Representation of a particular interest of employment, education, experience, or affiliation with a specific aviation related organization.
c. Ability to attend all AAAC meetings (estimated three meetings per year).
AAAC webpage:
https://www.faa.gov/uas/programs_partnerships/advanced_aviation_advisory_committee/
FR notice inviting applications:
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/11/10/2021-24512/drone-advisory-committee-notice-of-solicitation-of-nominations-for-appointment-to-the-newly-proposed