Northwest UAV (NWUAV), has announced that it has successfully completed the first phase towards Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 14 CFR Part 21 Type Certification in support of the NW44 unmanned aerial vehicle propulsion system type certification program. FAA 14 CFR Part 21 governs certification for production and airworthiness.
Members of the FAA team, which comprised FAA Flight Standards (AC-AW), AIR UAS Programs and Procedures Division, AIR Policy & Innovation Division and the Engine Directorate, came together at NWUAV headquarters in McMinnville, Oregon for the first gated certification process in collaboration with the FAA.
NWUAV clearly presented its advanced captures of 14 CFR 33 and 35 data, the process for Risk Assessment utilizing Safety Management principals founded in current Part 5 regulatory basis and the ability to transition to ISO based production capability pursuant to eventual Production Certification and Part 145 services. This critical meeting demonstrated the intent of NWUAV to establish high consequence, critical success attributes in every UAS engine design and subsequently bring the UAS industry to the highest standards in airworthiness and aviation safety.
The availability of an FAA 14 CFR 21.17(a) type certificated powerplant will provide significant opportunity for airframe manufacturers to successfully and efficiently navigate the civil certification requirements for their aircraft with an off the shelf availability of a NWUAV Type Certificated engine/propeller set.
The post Northwest UAV Completes First Phase of FAA Certification for Propulsion System appeared first on Unmanned Systems Technology.