The recent growth in the number and capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is driving an examination of how best to shift from the limited access granted UAVs to operate outside restricted airspace to normalized access. By normalized access is meant the ability for UAV operators to file a flight plan and be airborne shortly thereafter and to conduct their flight under the same freedoms and limitations imposed on manned aircraft. Such access is necessary for UAVs to undertake new roles, or expand on existing ones, in the greater aviation market. Drawing heavily on an on-going effort between the DoD and the FAA to implement such an environment for U.S. military UAVs, a scheme is proposed that would provide a similar regulatory environment for civilian UAVs engaged in scientific and commercial purposes. The technical and legal aspects of this issue, as well as the requirements for see and avoid and dual navigation capabilities on UAVs, are comprehensively examined.
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