60 Day - 01062023 88 FR 1105

4910-13

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. 2022-0176]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; Clearance of Renewal Approval of Information Collection 2120-0768, Part 107 Authorizations and Waivers under 14 CFR Part 107

AGENCY: FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA), DOT

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, FAA invites public comments about our intention to request the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval to renew Information Collection 2120-0768. The purpose of this notice is to allow 60 days for public comment. The FAA proposes collecting information related to requests made under 14 CFR Part 107 to operate small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in controlled airspace. FAA will use the collected information to make determinations whether to authorize or deny the requested operation of UAS in controlled airspace. The proposed information collection is necessary to issue such authorizations or denials consistent with the FAA’s mandate to ensure safe and efficient use of national airspace.

DATES: Written comments should be submitted by [insert date 60 days after date of publication in the Federal Register].

ADDRESSES: Please send written comments:

By Electronic Docket: www.regulations.gov (Enter docket number into search field)

By mail: Atlantic City International Airport, FAA William J Hughes Technical Center, Bldg 316, Column I, Desk 4S409, Atlantic City, NJ 08405

By fax: 202-493-2251

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victoria Gallagher by e-mail at: [email protected]; phone: 609-485-5127

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Comments Invited: You are asked to comment on any aspect of this information collection, including (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for FAA’s performance; (b) the accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) ways for FAA to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information collection; and (d) ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of the collected information. The agency will summarize and/or include your comments in the request for OMB’s clearance of this information collection.

OMB Control Number: 2120-0768

Title: Part 107 Authorizations and Waivers under 14 CFR Part 107

Form Numbers: There are no forms associated with this collection

Type of Review: Renewal of existing Information Collection.

Background: There has been an increased number of operations of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the National Air Space (NAS) in recent years and regulations and statutes have been enacted to establish the use of small UAS in the NAS. Included in these is 14 CFR Part 107. Section 107.41 states that “no person may operate a small unmanned aircraft in Class B, Class C, or Class D airspace or within the lateral boundaries of the surface areas of Class E airspace designated for an airport unless that person has prior authorization from Air Traffic Control (ATC).” Such authorization may be obtained in the form of either an airspace authorization issued by the FAA or a waiver of the authorization requirements of 14 CFR Section 107.41 (known as an airspace waiver).

In order to process authorization and airspace waiver requests, the FAA requires the operator’s name, the operator’s contact information, and information related to the date, place, and time of the requested small UAS operation. This information is necessary for the FAA to meet its statutory mandate of maintaining a safe and efficient national airspace. See 49 U.S.C. §§ 40103, 44701, and 44807. The FAA will use the requested information to determine if the proposed UAS operation can be conducted safely.

The FAA proposes to use the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) and a web portal to process authorization requests from the public to conduct Part 107 flight operations pursuant to Section 107.41. The FAA also proposes to use the web portal to process requests from the public to conduct Part 107 flight operations that requires an airspace waiver.

Respondents: Small UAS operators seeking to conduct flight operations under 14 CFR Part 107 within controlled airspace or flight operations that require waiver from the provisions of 14 CFR Section 107.41. Between 2023-2026, the FAA estimates that it will receive a total of 1,477,965 requests for airspace authorizations and 0 requests for airspace waivers.

Frequency: The requested information will need to be provided each time a respondent requests an airspace authorization to operate a small UAS under 14 CFR Part 107 in controlled airspace and each time a respondent requests a waiver from the provisions of 14 CFR Section 107.41 to operate a small UAS in controlled airspace.

Estimated Average Burden per Response: The FAA estimates the respondents using LAANC will take five (5) minutes per airspace authorization request and those using the web portal will take thirty (30) minutes per request. For those making airspace waiver requests through the web portal, the FAA estimates it takes 30 minutes per request.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: For airspace authorizations, the FAA estimates that the average annual burden will be 61,582 burden hours. This includes 36,949 burden hours for 443,389 LAANC respondents and 24,633 burden hours for 49,266 web portal respondents.

Issued in Washington, D.C. on [Month, Date, Year].

Victoria Gallagher,

UAS LAANC Program Manager

AJM-337