[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 212 (Friday, November 1, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58818-58819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23947]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. FAA-2017-0975]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Requests for Comments; 
Clearance of Renewed Approval of Information Collection: Information 
Collection 2120-0768

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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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 an information 
collection. The Federal Register Notice with a 60-day comment period 
soliciting comments on the following collection of information was 
published on August 7, 2019. The FAA proposes collecting information 
related to requests to operate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in 
controlled airspace pursuant to regulations contained in the code of 
federal regulations. 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 December 2, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on 
the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget. Comments should be 
addressed to the attention of the Desk Officer, Department of 
Transportation/FAA, and sent via electronic mail to 
[email protected], or faxed to (202) 395-6974, or mailed to 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget, Docket Library, Room 10102, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, 
DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Casey Nair, FAA's Unmanned Aircraft 
Systems (UAS) Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability 
(LAANC) Program Manager, by email at [email protected]; phone: 202-
267-0369.

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.

[[Page 58819]]

    OMB Control Number: 2120-0768.
    Title: Requests for Comments; Clearance of Renewed Approval of 
Information Collection: Information Collection 2120-0768, 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: The Federal Register Notice with 60-day comment period 
soliciting comments on the following collection of information was 
published on August 7, 2019 (84 FR 38719). The FAA has seen increased 
operations of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) flying under 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 area 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 107.41 (airspace 
waiver). Additionally, operators may request waivers of the other 
operational requirements listed in Sec.  107.205 (operational waivers).
    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 and 44701; 49 U.S.C. 44807.
    Additionally, if the operator is seeking an operational waiver from 
one of the other regulations listed in 14 CFR 107.205, further 
information is required related to the proposed waiver and any 
necessary mitigations. The FAA will use the requested information to 
determine if the proposed UAS operation can be conducted safely.
    The FAA proposes to use LAANC and a web portal to process 
authorization requests from the public to conduct Part 107 flight 
operations pursuant to Sec.  107.41. The FAA also proposes to use the 
web portal to process requests from the public to conduct Part 107 
flight operations that require an operational waiver or an airspace 
waiver.
    The FAA received no public comments to the 60-day Federal Register 
Notice.
    Respondents: Small UAS operators seeking to conduct flight 
operations under 14 CFR part 107 within controlled airspace or flight 
operations that require waiver from certain provisions of Part 107. 
Between 2020-2022, the FAA estimates that it will receive a total of 
794,888 requests for airspace authorization. The FAA determines future 
estimated airspace authorization requests by the ratio of the number of 
received requests against the total number of registered Part 107 UAS. 
In the 60-day Notice published on August 7, 2019, the FAA estimated 
346,917 airspace authorizations from 2020-2022. This number has 
increased to 794,888 for two reasons. First, since the 60-day Notice 
estimate on future airspace authorization requests was made, there have 
been nearly 30,000 new registrations of UAS, which exceeds all FAA 
expectations. The FAA has also received a corresponding increase in 
authorization requests since the 60-day Notice was published. The FAA 
now expects to see 18% more airspace authorization requests in 2019 
than when the 60-day Notice was published, which increases the number 
of respondents the FAA expects over the next three years. Second, in 
its 60-day Notice the FAA calculated future UAS use based on the ratio 
of requests to registrations, but used a ratio based on requests from 
January 1--May 31, 2019 as opposed to the ratio for the full calendar 
year. This change reflects only that the FAA anticipates the total 
number of requests from all Part 107 respondents to be higher than what 
was estimated in the 60-day Notice. The time required for each 
individual request will remain the same as the average burden per 
response remains 5 minutes for respondents using LAANC and 30 minutes 
for respondents using the web portal as reported in the 60-day Notice.
    In the 60-day Notice, the FAA estimated 27,831 requests for 
airspace waivers and 9,000 requests for operational waivers. When the 
FAA provided the estimates in the 60-day Notice it transposed the 
numbers for airspace waivers and operational waivers. The FAA estimates 
it will receive 8,458 requests for airspace waivers and 24,103 requests 
for operational waivers between 2020-2022 which reflects the correct 
burden estimate for compliance with sub-sections of 14 CFR 107.205.
    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. A respondent may 
reduce the frequency by seeking and obtaining an airspace waiver to 
conduct recurring operations. For requests for operational waivers, a 
respondent will need to provide the information once at the time of the 
request for the waiver. If granted, operational waivers may be valid 
for up to four (4) years.
    Estimated Average Burden per Response: The FAA estimates the 
respondents using LAANC will take five (5) minutes per request and 
those using the web portal will take thirty (30) minutes per request. 
For those submitting requests for airspace or operational waivers 
through the web portal, the FAA estimates each request will take thirty 
(30) minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: For airspace authorizations, the FAA 
estimates that the average annual burden will be 35,251 hours for 
respondents submitting requests. This includes 19,353 burden hours for 
233,167 respondents using the automated LAANC capabilities and 15,898 
hours for 31,796 web portal respondents. These revised numbers reflect 
corrections made as explained above.
    For airspace waivers, the FAA estimates that the average annual 
burden will be 1,410 hours for respondents. For operational waivers, 
the FAA estimates that the average annual burden will be 5,222 hours 
for respondents. These revised numbers reflect corrections made as 
explained above.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on October 29, 2019.
Casey Nair,
UAS LAANC Program Manager.
[FR Doc. 2019-23947 Filed 10-31-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P