Switzerland and the United States of America strengthen collaboration on unmanned aircraft systems
Bern, 08.07.2020 - The Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation FOCA and the US Federal Aviation Administration FAA have signed a declaration of intent to strengthen collaboration in the area of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Collaboration will focus on research and development and on the exchange of ideas, personnel and information to better respond to present and future challenges related to UAS operations and their safe integration into airspace.
The declaration establishes a framework under which the FAA and the FOCA will cooperate in advancing domestic and international UAS safety standards and their harmonisation. The two civil aviation authorities will collaborate on initiatives and projects of mutual interest and benefit in relation to UAS operations.
Even though the two countries are rather different, the challenges the USA and Switzerland are facing in the fastest growing segment of civil aviation are very similar. Both countries are highly innovative, with stakeholders demanding new ways to access airspace in order to perform unprecedented operations. Exchanging viewpoints on and approaches to mutual challenges will be of real benefit to both sides.
The cooperation will allow valuable steps forward such as implementing remote identification, the ability of a UAS in flight to provide identification information that can be received by other parties. This capability will help to increase the effectiveness of airspace control, oversight and law enforcement, therefore improving the safety of UAS operations.
With its Innovation and Digitalisation Unit, the FOCA leads Switzerland’s efforts on UAS and is the designated authority in charge of facilitating the integration of drones into Swiss airspace.
The FAA’s UAS Integration Office coordinates across the FAA for the development of drone-centric operating concepts, policies, requirements, criteria, and procedures for both existing and new system evaluations.
Address for enquiries
Media contacts:
Communications FOCA, Telephone
Publisher
Federal Office of Civil Aviation
http://www.bazl.admin.ch
