Key position for commercial drone operations

New year, old challenges. The global UAS industry will need to make many important decisions in 2026 to further embed the commercial use of unmanned aircraft systems across the economy, society, and the military. A significant role in this process will be played by a German. As Chair of the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems, Dr. Falk Götten can provide important impulses for regulations on drone operations.

The Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems (JARUS) is an international expert panel that plays a crucial role in establishing a globally unified regulatory framework for the safe operation of UAS. The recommendations developed by JARUS committees for technical and operational requirements serve as common references for national regulations and guidelines. One of JARUS’s best-known outcomes is the SORA methodology (Specific Operations Risk Assessment), which is used as a risk assessment procedure in Europe and many other parts of the world.

At the end of last year, representatives from 73 member organizations elected Dr. Falk Götten, head of the „Operating Permits/LUC“ section in the Department B 5 (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) of the German Federal Aviation Office, as the new JARUS Chair. He succeeds Giovanni Di Antonio from Italy, Director of Technological Innovation at the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC, Ente Nazionale per l’Aviazione Civile), who has held the position for over four years. The position of Vice-Chair was also newly elected, with Roberto Honorato from Brazil’s national civil aviation agency (ANAC, Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil) succeeding Catalin Radu from Kazakhstan.