[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 118 (Thursday, June 18, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36931-36932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-13133]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Solicitation of Nominations for Appointment to the Drone Advisory 
Committee

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Department of 
Transportation.

ACTION: Solicitation of Nominations for Appointment to the Drone 
Advisory Committee (DAC).

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SUMMARY: The FAA is issuing this notice to solicit nominations for 
membership on the Drone Advisory Committee (DAC).

DATES: Nominations must be received no later than 6:00 a.m. Eastern 
Time on August 18, 2020. Nominations received after the above due date 
may be retained for evaluation for future DAC vacancies after all other 
nominations received by the due date have been evaluated and 
considered.

ADDRESSES: Nominations can be submitted electronically (by email) to 
Khurram Abbas in the FAA's UAS Integration Office, at 
[email protected]. The subject line should state ``2020 DAC 
Nomination.'' The body of the email must contain content or attachments 
that address all requirements as specified in the below ``Materials to 
Submit'' section. Incomplete/partial submittals as well as those that 
exceed the specified document length may not be considered for 
evaluation. An email confirmation from the FAA will be sent upon 
receipt of all complete nominations that meet the criteria in the 
``Materials to Submit'' section. Anyone wishing to submit an 
application by paper may do so by contacting Khurram Abbas at 
[email protected] or 202-267-8345. The FAA will notify those 
appointed by the Secretary to serve on the DAC in writing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Khurram Abbas at 
[email protected] or 202-267-8345. Additional information on the 
DAC, including the current roster, charter, and previous meeting 
minutes can be found at: https://www.faa.gov/uas/programs_partnerships/drone_advisory_committee/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The DAC is an advisory committee established under DOT's authority, 
in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA) as amended, Public Law 92-463, 5 U.S.C. App. 2. The objective of 
the DAC is to provide independent advice and recommendations to the FAA 
and in response to specific taskings received directly from the FAA. 
The advice and recommendations work toward improving the efficiency and 
safety of integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National 
Airspace System (NAS). In response to FAA requests, the DAC may provide 
the FAA with information that may be used for tactical and strategic 
planning purposes.
    This notice seeks to fill current and future vacancies on the DAC 
and does not affect the status of current DAC members' terms.

Description of Duties

    The DAC acts solely in an advisory capacity and does not exercise 
program management responsibilities. Decisions directly affecting 
implementation of transportation policy will remain with the FAA 
Administrator and the Secretary of Transportation. The DAC duties 
include:
    a. Undertaking tasks only assigned by the FAA.
    b. Deliberating on and approving recommendations for assigned tasks 
in meetings that are open to the public.
    c. Responding to ad hoc informational requests from the FAA and/or 
providing input to the FAA on the overall DAC structure (including 
structure of the subcommittees and or task groups).
    Membership: The FAA will submit recommendations for membership to 
the Secretary of Transportation, who will appoint members to the DAC. 
The membership must be fairly balanced in terms of points of view 
represented and the functions performed. The stakeholder groups 
represented on the DAC include the following:

a. Airports and Airport Communities
b. Labor (controllers, pilots)
c. Local Government
d. Navigation, Communication, Surveillance, and Air Traffic Management 
Capability Providers
e. Research, Development, and Academia
f. Traditional Manned Aviation Operators
g. UAS Hardware Component Manufacturers
h. UAS Manufacturers
i. UAS Operators
j. UAS Software Application Manufacturers
k. Other

    All DAC members serve at the pleasure of the Secretary of 
Transportation. The DAC will have no more than 35 members. Other 
membership criteria include:
    a. An appointment of up to two years.
    b. Service without charge and without government compensation. 
Representation of a particular interest of employment, education, 
experience, or affiliation with a specific aviation related 
organization.
    c. Ability to attend all DAC meetings (estimated three meetings per 
year).
    Qualifications: Candidates must be in good public standing and 
currently serve as a member of their organization's core senior 
leadership team with the ability to make UAS-related decisions. In rare 
circumstances, membership will be granted to uniquely qualified 
individuals who do not meet this latter requirement. Members appointed 
solely for their individual expertise serve as Special Government 
Employees.
    Materials to Submit: Candidates are required to submit, in full, 
the following materials to be considered for DAC membership. Failure to 
submit the required information may disqualify a candidate from the 
review process.
    a. A short biography of the nominee, including professional and 
academic credentials.
    b. A r[eacute]sum[eacute] or curriculum vitae, which must include 
relevant job experience, qualifications, as well as contact information 
(email, telephone, and mailing address).
    c. A one-page statement describing how the candidate will benefit 
the DAC, considering current membership and the candidate's unique 
perspective that will advance the conversation. This statement must 
also identify a primary and secondary interest to which the candidate's 
expertise best aligns. Finally, candidates should state their previous 
experience on Federal Advisory Committees and/or Aviation Rulemaking 
Committees (if any), their level of knowledge in their above 
stakeholder groups, and the size of their constituency they represent 
or are able to reach.
    Up to three letters of recommendation may be submitted, but are not 
required. Each letter may be no longer than one

[[Page 36932]]

page. Nominations are open to all individuals without regard to race, 
color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical 
disability, marital status, or sexual orientation. Evaluations will be 
based on the materials submitted.

Erik W. Amend,
Manager, Executive Office, AUS-10, UAS Integration Office, Federal 
Aviation Administration.
[FR Doc. 2020-13133 Filed 6-17-20; 8:45 am]
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