NTSB To Hold Safety Forum on Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Washington, D.C. - The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a three-day forum on the safety of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The forum will be convened April 29 to May 1 in the NTSB Board Room and Conference Center in Washington. The forum will provide an opportunity for the Board and interested parties to understand the safety implications presented by the growing use of UAS in the National Airspace System.

Issues addressed will include:

- Regulatory standards
- Integration with the National Airspace System
- Perspectives of current UAS operators
- Design, certification and airworthiness
- Human factors
- Future UAS applications and perspectives of current
users of the National Airspace System

The forum is a result of the Safety Board's investigation into a Predator B unmanned aircraft that crashed near Nogales, Arizona, in April 2006. The Board's October 2007 meeting on this accident resulted in 22 safety recommendations to address deficiencies associated with the civilian use of unmanned aircraft.