Small UAS [unmanned aircraft systems] - unmanned aircraft weighing less than 55 pounds, typically flown by remote control within sight of a ground 'pilot' - are increasingly being used for commercial and recreational purposes. Congress and others have raised questions about the extent of unsafe small UAS use and FAA's [Federal Aviation Administration] and other agencies' efforts to address safety risks they pose. This report examines (1) what information is available to FAA about the extent of unsafe small UAS use in the national airspace, and (2) the extent to which FAA's management of safety risks posed by small UAS has followed key principles of risk management, among other objectives. GAO [Government Accountability Office] reviewed FAA and other federal data on small UAS use from 2014 to 2018, and FAA and industry documents. From FAA's policies that apply to its safety oversight, including small UAS, GAO identified five key safety risk management principles and 15 supporting requirements, and compared them to FAA's regulatory efforts related to small UAS. GAO also interviewed FAA officials, as well as 46 aviation stakeholders, including experts and industry groups, selected based on their knowledge of small UAS safety issues.
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