GENERAL OVERVIEW
Committee F38 on Unmanned Aircraft Systems organized in 2003. The Committee meets twice a year, usually in May and November, with approximately 50 members attending three days of technical meetings. The Committee, with a membership of more than 180, currently has jurisdiction over two standards published in the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Volume 15.11. Information on the F38 subcommittee structure and portfolio of approved standards and Work Items under development is available from the List of Subcommittees, Standards, and Work Items. These standards have and continue to play a preeminent role in all aspects important to the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry. F38 addresses issues related to design, performance, quality acceptance tests, and safety monitoring for unmanned air vehicle systems.
ACTIVITIES, PRODUCTS, AND SERVICES
F38 is a multinational initiative, with its members actively participating within a three-tiered subcommittee structure consisting of Airworthiness in Subcommittee F38.01, Flight Operations in Subcommittee F38.02, and Operator Qualifications in Subcommittee F38.03. Subcommittee F38.01 is developing standards necessary for the safe integration of UAS into commercial airspace. This activity has begun with work in the sense and avoid area as well as with standards for UAS design, monitoring, communication, and continued airworthiness. Subcommittee F38.02 is working on standards related to visual flight ranges and flight authorizations. F38.03 on Operator Qualifications is investigating the necessary certificates and ratings for UAS pilots and operators.
PARTICIPATING AS A MEMBER ON THE COMMITTEE
ASTM International opens its doors to all technical experts with an interest in the standardization process. As a member of ASTM Committee F38, you will be exposed to the robust resources and member benefits included below that have helped make ASTM a worldwide standards development leader for more than a century:
- Network with industry professionals worldwide
- Receive one free volume of the Annual Book of ASTM Standards (in print or CD)
- Use Internet-based Standards Development Forums and E-Balloting
- Receive discounts on all ASTM publications
- Keep up to date through a free subscription to ASTM’s monthly magazine - Standardization News
- Benefit from reduced fees for attendance at ASTM symposia and technical workshops
- And more
Members can participate from anywhere because of ASTM’s customized web-based systems. The best way to contribute as a member is to (1) participate in task group activities that are of interest, both virtually and in person, and (2) vote on ballots and provide feedback and recommendations. To participate in standards activities, start by identifying Work Items of interest by reviewing the List of Subcommittees, Standards, and Work Items on the F37 home page. Contact task group leaders for those areas of interest by reviewing the Work Item summary pages and securing contact information available through the on-line roster in the member area. To make the most of your voting and participation, be sure to stipulate which specific subcommittees you wish to participate in when you join. You will then receive notices of ballots that open within these groups.
In order to continue to promote standards objectives for this fast-paced industry, F38 uses ASTM’s interactive media. This approach includes our web-based Interactive Forums, a document review and development system always available for capturing comments and maturing documents. In addition, the Committee conducts virtual meetings in conjunction with conference calls to accelerate document development and increase participation from its global membership in a real-time format.
STAKEHOLDERS
F38 stakeholders include manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicle systems (UAS) and their components, federal agencies, design professionals, professional societies, maintenance professionals, trade associations, financial organizations, and academia. These interests include the Federal Aviation Administration, and the U.S. Department of Defense. Through F38, these two groups can partner with industry and develop the standards necessary for routine access of UAS in civilian airspace. Producers may include entities that provide services for UAS design and/or for the supply of parts and finished aircraft. As the commercial use of UAS continues to grow, user groups of these finished products are expanding far beyond military branches to include those interested in border patrol, environmental monitoring, photography, and other applications.
RELATIONSHIP WITH INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT, AND REGULATION
The standards of Committee F38 will be used the basis for military operations and for regulation in many countries. These documents are critical to safe design, manufacture, and flight of UAS. Typically, regulations will reference ASTM International standards as acceptable methods of test, material specifications, and/or operational guidance that may be required for regulatory compliance. A manufacturer’s declaration of conforming to standards recognized by the regulating agency can accelerate the acceptance and use of a product because it is presumed to conform to the law or regulation that references the standard. If a manufacturer states that a product has been manufactured in accordance with standards cited in regulation, when in fact the product does not conform, then the result is often serious legal penalties.
F38 standards may also be used for engineering design, where companies rely on the standards for performance requirements to be met by their aircraft. The standards facilitate communication with suppliers for the purposes of material procurement or product requirements. Independent laboratory studies and universities use them for standard protocols, and manufacturers are able to rely on them for protection in product legal cases.
LIAISON AND OTHER LINKS
The following websites have been identified by Committee F38, which coordinates its work with the organizations, to contain information of interest.
RTCA: www.rtca.org
U.S. Department of Defense: www.defenselink.mil
U.S. Federal Aviation Administration: www.faa.gov
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