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Colorado gets a new drone testing area

thaefeli

FRIEND
Alamosa County has just received approval for two COA's allowing UAV/UAS testing over a 8000 square mile area of South Central Colorado.
The first COA is good from the surface to 15,000 MSL. Autonomous operations, being chased by a manned aircraft. Operations to be announced via Distant Notams. There is no radar coverage for the entire area below 15K.
There are five more COA's in the application process. Supposedly a lot more companies in line, now that the precident has been set.
Here is how it is supposed to work: Alamosa County leases the platform from the UAS company. That platform now becomes a Public Use Aircraft, owned and operated by Alamosa County, via the UAS company, for testing.
Here is something I don't agree with:
According to the Regs, Public Use Aircraft are not supposed to be used for commercial purposes. The surrounding Counties are actively pursuing collecting fees for the use of their airports and the airspace overhead from the UAS companies. See this article in a local paper:

www.crestoneeagle.com/saguache-coun...the mess they got themselves into, IMHO. Tom
 
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