The decision by the Federal Aviation Administration to grant commercial drone permits to six Hollywood cinematographers suggests that safety is no longer the agency's top priority, according to critics,
The Washington Post reported.
One movie drone in California flew off and vanished; it was found the next day, having crashed on private ranch about 100 yards from the film site, the Post reported.
Under pressure from Hollywood filmmakers, industry and Congress, FAA managers have sometimes pulled rank on safety inspectors in granting drone flying privileges.
"There's huge political pressure to do quick approvals," an unnamed ex-FAA official said. "Congress made very clear what they want, and safety is not at the forefront because of pressure from the industry," the Post reported.
James Williams, the head of the agency's unmanned-aircraft integration office, said that the FAA "remains committed to our primary mission of safety, and that's safety not only for the other aircraft in the air but for people and property on the ground," the Post reported.
The FAA, short on staff and operating amid a cumbersome regulatory process, is working with a provisional hodgepodge of guidelines to oversee commercial drones. The agency is unlikely to meet congressional demands to put in place a regulatory structure by September.
The FAA began considering permits for drones operated by pipeline inspectors, filmmakers, oil companies and agribusiness. A deluge of requests from other industries ensued.
Critics have been irked because the FAA briefly engaged an outside contractor — a lobbyist for filmmakers — to work within the agency for quicker commercial approvals. The consultant was dismissed shortly after the Post questioned the arrangement, the paper said.
"How is this not a conflict of interest?" FAA safety inspector Lance Nuckolls wrote in an email to colleagues. "I'm now officially numb with total dismay and disgust with our leadership," according to the Post.
As robotic aircraft become less expensive, easier to fly, and outfitted with cameras, it has become increasingly popular with hobbyists. Yet the drones can pose a menace to passenger planes and to people on the ground if they crash.
There are some 500,000 small drones buzzing around.
A drone weighing just several pounds that hits a vulnerable spot on an aircraft could result in a midair disaster. There have been around 150 incidents, including 25 reported near-collisions, in the U.S. since June 1, the Post reported.
A drone recently flew within 20 feet of an incoming Airbus A320 at Heathrow airport,
The Guardian reported.
There are no finalized standards for drone pilots. Unlike aircraft with pilots on board, drones usually have no anti-collusion equipment, transponders, or radar — and suffer from limited camera vision.
Navigation is vulnerable to frequency interference and even hacking, the Post reported.
FAA aviation-safety inspector James Ryan wrote in an email: "As I've said before, we can do this job 'good' or we can do it 'fast,' but we can't do it 'good and fast,'" the Post reported.
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