Impact of New FAA RID Information Nov 2021?

[PacificSkyDreamn]

I just watched this week's UAS news by Pilot Institute and saw that the FAA has a requirement for GPS vertical accuracy. The original RID rule established an accuracy requirement that the reported geometric altitude of the pilot control station must be accurate to within 15 feet of the true geometric altitude, with 95% probability. The FAA release last week describes one acceptable way to do this - having spent a career dealing with federal rule compliance, when an agencies gives you "a" way of satisfying their rule you sort have to take it as "the" way to meet their rule. Doing anything else really puts the burden on you to show what you're doing is in compliance. So...

"A means of compliance that requires the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) control station position source to be a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) and Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) satellite signals to determine the geometric altitude of the control station would be an acceptable method for a means of compliance to demonstrate that the unmanned aircraft built according to its specifications would meet the accuracy requirement in § 89.310(h)(2). The WAAS Performance Analysis report from the second quarter of 2021 shows that GNSS receivers utilizing GPS with a satellite-based augmentation system indicates a worst-site 95% vertical accuracy of 5 feet for the continental United States. This report demonstrates that GNSS receivers utilizing GPS/WAAS can achieve the necessary vertical position accuracy across the National Airspace System to meet the reported geometric altitude requirement of § 89.310(h)(2)."​

As I read the DJI specs, current DJI drones cannot receive WAAS signals, and would require a hardware modification. Is this correct?

Regulations.gov

www.regulations.gov

 

[Vic Moss]

With the inclusion of this requirement, the FAA basically lost even more support for RID. First guesstimates put the increased cost of the average drone by $100. We are DSPA will do everything in our power to get them to change their mind.

And odds are this is driven by DHS, not FAA. So that may make it even harder to change. But we'll do our best. We'll have our take on this the around 12/8 or so. With Kenji being on the RID ARC, we'll have some very in depth and techincal information out.

 

[db4476]

I don't see what the issue is. Modern GPS chipsets already meet that goal with Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), Differential GPS (DGPS), inertial navigation systems (INS) and Assisted GPS. Also, I don't know how you arrive at a cost of $100 per drone when you can buy a GPS chipset at retail for about $25- $30 that meets the requirement.

A company that specializes in drone surveying concluded that even the lowly Mavic Mini does exceptionally well in accuracy.

Mavic mini accuracy vs Phantom 4

Cheers!

 

[sar104]

This is about the control station, not the aircraft.

 

[db4476]

This is about the control station, not the aircraft.

We are right back to the hardware again, it's here, fulfills the requirement at a reasonable price.

I'll quote the FAA:
"The WAAS Performance Analysis report from the second quarter of 2021 shows that GNSS receivers utilizing GPS with a satellite-based augmentation system indicates a worst-site 95% vertical accuracy of 5 feet for the continental United States. This report demonstrates that GNSS receivers utilizing GPS/WAAS can achieve the necessary vertical position accuracy across the National Airspace System to meet the reported geometric altitude requirement of § 89.310(h)(2)."

A GNSS chipset works in a base station exactly the same. So, just what is the issue?

Cheers!

 

[PacificSkyDreamn]

So it sounds like it's not an issue, and DJI (and other companies) can make their existing UAS aircraft and controllers RID compliant through a firmware update?

 

[Vic Moss]

I don't see what the issue is. Modern GPS chipsets already meet that goal with Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS), European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), Differential GPS (DGPS), inertial navigation systems (INS) and Assisted GPS. Also, I don't know how you arrive at a cost of $100 per drone when you can buy a GPS chipset at retail for about $25- $30 that meets the requirement.

A company that specializes in drone surveying concluded that even the lowly Mavic Mini does exceptionally well in accuracy.

Mavic mini accuracy vs Phantom 4

Cheers!

This isn't about the drone, it's about the control station (controller). So unless that chip is also in the controller, this won't work.

 

[baddog]

I just watched this week's UAS news by Pilot Institute and saw that the FAA has a requirement for GPS vertical accuracy. The original RID rule established an accuracy requirement that the reported geometric altitude of the pilot control station must be accurate to within 15 feet of the true geometric altitude, with 95% probability. The FAA release last week describes one acceptable way to do this - having spent a career dealing with federal rule compliance, when an agencies gives you "a" way of satisfying their rule you sort have to take it as "the" way to meet their rule. Doing anything else really puts the burden on you to show what you're doing is in compliance. So...

"A means of compliance that requires the unmanned aircraft system (UAS) control station position source to be a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) and Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) satellite signals to determine the geometric altitude of the control station would be an acceptable method for a means of compliance to demonstrate that the unmanned aircraft built according to its specifications would meet the accuracy requirement in § 89.310(h)(2). The WAAS Performance Analysis report from the second quarter of 2021 shows that GNSS receivers utilizing GPS with a satellite-based augmentation system indicates a worst-site 95% vertical accuracy of 5 feet for the continental United States. This report demonstrates that GNSS receivers utilizing GPS/WAAS can achieve the necessary vertical position accuracy across the National Airspace System to meet the reported geometric altitude requirement of § 89.310(h)(2)."​

As I read the DJI specs, current DJI drones cannot receive WAAS signals, and would require a hardware modification. Is this correct?

Regulations.gov

www.regulations.gov

Doesn't that read as "GPS or WAAS"?

 

[sar104]

Doesn't that read as "GPS or WAAS"?

Well it's clearly written as "and", not "or", and the reason is that WAAS is an enhancement to GPS, not an alternative.

 

[baddog]

A forward slash "/" usually means "or" that's why I asked. Plus I believe, the Means of compliance falls on the manufacturer, not the pilot.

 

[Vic Moss]

A forward slash "/" usually means "or" that's why I asked. Plus I believe, the Means of compliance falls on the manufacturer, not the pilot.

MOCs are the responsibility of the manufacturer, but they'll be paid for by the purchaser. There is lies the rub.

 

[spudster]

MOCs are the responsibility of the manufacturer, but they'll be paid for by the purchaser. There is lies the rub.

That is true of any mandated safety feature on any product we buy.

 

[Defens]

I wasn't aware that the DJI controllers contained any GPS capability. Isn't the positioning capability (that, for instance lets you reset your home point while in flight) coming from the attached smart device? If ou don't have a GPS-enabled tablet or phone attached, your base station has no GPS capabilities at all, with the possible exception of a Smart Controller with a built in tablet. Or am I totally incorrect?

By extension then, if your phone or tablet has WAAS-enhanced GPS, it meets the standard.

 

[Vic Moss]

I wasn't aware that the DJI controllers contained any GPS capability. Isn't the positioning capability (that, for instance lets you reset your home point while in flight) coming from the attached smart device? If ou don't have a GPS-enabled tablet or phone attached, your base station has no GPS capabilities at all, with the possible exception of a Smart Controller with a built in tablet. Or am I totally incorrect?

Controller have GPS. That's how the drone knows home point. But is it accurate enough for the 15' requirement? That's the question.

 

[Defens]

Controller have GPS. That's how the drone knows home point. But is it accurate enough for the 15' requirement? That's the question.

Hmmm. I thought that the drone set the home point after startup, once it had enough satellites locked. It stores that info when it flies off on a mission and returns to that known coordinate on command (or if remote signal is lost). If you want to reset the home point to your current location while the drone is flying, you need to have a GPS-enabled smart device attached to the controller. For example, if you have a wi-fi-only tablet attached to the controller, you can't reset the home point to the current controller location.

 

[Vic Moss]

Hmmm. I thought that the drone set the home point after startup, once it had enough satellites locked. It stores that info when it flies off on a mission and returns to that known coordinate on command (or if remote signal is lost). If you want to reset the home point to your current location while the drone is flying, you need to have a GPS-enabled smart device attached to the controller. For example, if you have a wi-fi-only tablet attached to the controller, you can't reset the home point to the current controller location.

I’ll check that out. You may be right. I rarely use dynamic home point.

 

[Defens]

I’ll check that out. You may be right. I rarely use dynamic home point.

Thanks! Not meaning to be argumentative at all - just wanting to confirm that we're all on the same page!

 

[Vic Moss]

Thanks! Not meaning to be argumentative at all - just wanting to confirm that we're all on the same page!

I didn’t take it as argumentative, no worries. I know a lot about drones, but not everything by a LONG shot!

 

[sar104]

Controller have GPS. That's how the drone knows home point. But is it accurate enough for the 15' requirement? That's the question.

Hmmm. I thought that the drone set the home point after startup, once it had enough satellites locked. It stores that info when it flies off on a mission and returns to that known coordinate on command (or if remote signal is lost). If you want to reset the home point to your current location while the drone is flying, you need to have a GPS-enabled smart device attached to the controller. For example, if you have a wi-fi-only tablet attached to the controller, you can't reset the home point to the current controller location.

Neither the basic controller nor the original smart controller have a GPS receiver. I'm not sure about the new RC Pro.

 

[Defens]

Deleted by OP