NTSB TO HOLD SAFETY FORUM ON UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS

[NTSB Press Releases <NTSBPressReleases@xxxxxxxx>]

Title: NTSB TO HOLD SAFETY FORUM ON UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS

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                      NTSB PRESS RELEASE
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National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 3, 2008
SB-08-07

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NTSB TO HOLD SAFETY FORUM ON UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS

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Washington, D.C. - The National Transportation Safety Board
will hold a three-day forum on the safety of unmanned
aircraft systems (UAS).  The forum will be convened April 29
to May 1 in the NTSB Board Room and Conference Center in
Washington.  The forum will provide an opportunity for the
Board and interested parties to understand the safety
implications presented by the growing use of UAS in the
National Airspace System.

Issues addressed will include:

- Regulatory standards,
- Integration with the National Airspace System,
- Perspectives of current UAS operators,
- Design, certification and airworthiness,
- Human factors,
- Future UAS applications and perspectives of current
  users of the National Airspace System.

The forum is a result of the Safety Board's investigation
into a Predator B unmanned aircraft that crashed near
Nogales, Arizona, in April 2006.   The Board's October 2007
meeting on this accident resulted in 22 safety
recommendations to address deficiencies associated with the
civilian use of unmanned aircraft.

"The Nogales accident surfaced a number of important
questions that need to be addressed if UAS's are to operate
safely in the National Air Space," said Board Member Kitty
Higgins, who will chair the forum. "We are very interested
in the military's experience with UAS's, training of pilots,
maintenance of the aircraft, communication with Air Traffic
Control and oversight of UAS operations by public use
agencies and other operators."

The forum will include representatives from the military,
industry, the FAA, and government agencies involved in UAS
operations.  Interested members of the aviation community
and general public are encouraged to attend.  A forum agenda
will be announced by press release in mid-April.

Representatives from the UAS industry are invited to
set up display booths and unmanned aircraft vehicle scale
models that demonstrate unmanned aircraft systems and
technologies.  Display space is limited and will be
allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. 
Organizations interested in setting up a display should
contact Mr. Daniel Bartlett at the NTSB at
daniel.bartlett@xxxxxxxx with their specific requirements no
later than March 28, 2008.  Requests for display space after
this date cannot be accommodated.

A live and archived webcast of the forum will be available
on the Board's web site at www.ntsb.gov.

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NTSB Public Affairs: Peter Knudson
(202) 314-6219
peter.knudson@xxxxxxxx

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