Taylor v. Fed. Aviation Admin.
Opinion
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a rule that regulates certain unmanned aircraft, popularly known as "drones." Petitioner John Taylor, a model aircraft hobbyist, seeks review of that rule. He contends that the rule exceeds the agency's statutory authority, is arbitrary and capricious, and has miscellaneous additional infirmities. For the following reasons, we deny the petition for review.
I
In the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, Congress tasked the Secretary of Transportation with developing "a comprehensive plan to safely accelerate the integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system." Pub. L. 112-95, § 332(a)(1),
Section 332 of the Modernization Act instructs the Secretary to conduct a rulemaking "to implement the recommendations" of the comprehensive plan, and to issue "a final rule on small unmanned aircraft systems that will allow for civil operation of such systems in the national airspace system."
Section 333 is one of two sections of the Modernization Act that are most directly relevant to this petition. It directs the Secretary to determine "(1) which types of unmanned aircraft systems, if any, as a result of their size, weight, speed, operational capability, proximity to airports and populated areas, and operation within visual line of sight do not create a hazard to users of the national airspace system or the public or pose a threat to national security; and (2) whether a certificate of waiver, certificate of authorization, or airworthiness certification under [
The other directly relevant section is section 336, which creates a statutory " Special Rule for Model Aircraft."
(1) the aircraft is flown strictly for hobby or recreational use;
(2) the aircraft is operated in accordance with a community-based set of safety guidelines and within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization;
(3) the aircraft is limited to not more than 55 pounds ...;
(4) the aircraft is operated in a manner that does not interfere with and gives way to any manned aircraft; and
(5) when flown within 5 miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower ... with prior notice of the operation ....
Section 336 also provides, however, that nothing in it "shall be construed to limit the authority of the [FAA] Administrator to pursue enforcement action against persons operating model aircraft who endanger the safety of the national airspace system."
For the purposes of this opinion, we will use the phrase "section 336 model aircraft" to refer to model aircraft that meet the five operational criteria of the statutory Special Rule. We will use the term "non-section 336 model aircraft" to refer to model aircraft that do not meet one or more of the safe harbor requirements.
After Congress passed the Modernization Act, the FAA took two related regulatory actions that are relevant as background but are not the subject of this case.
In 2014, the agency issued an Interpretation of the Special Rule for Model Aircraft, which interpreted several terms contained in the statutory Special Rule.
In 2015, the FAA promulgated a rule requiring the registration of small unmanned aircraft, including model aircraft. Registration and Marking Requirements for Small Unmanned Aircraft,
Finally, in 2016, the agency promulgated the rule that
is
the subject of this case, Operation and Certification of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems,
First, the rule adds a new part 107 to the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) to "allow for routine civil operation" of small unmanned aircraft systems and "to provide safety rules for those operations."
Second, the Small UAS Rule adds a new subpart E to part 101 of the C.F.R., as well as a § 107.1 to part 107. Those provisions codify the statutory Special Rule for Model Aircraft contained in Modernization Act § 336. Subpart E's § 101.41 lists the five operational criteria required to qualify for the statutory safe harbor from FAA regulation.
II
Taylor has petitioned for review of the Small UAS Rule. His challenges fall into four categories, which we address below.
A
Taylor contends that the rule violates the Modernization Act by regulating the forbidden category of section 336 model aircraft. As we noted above, section 336(a) of the Act states that the FAA "may not promulgate any rule or regulation regarding a model aircraft" if that aircraft meets the five operational criteria listed in the statute. Modernization Act § 336(a). Taylor argues that the rule violates section 336(a) in two respects: by imposing new regulations on section 336 model aircraft, and by exposing section 336 model aircraft to pre-existing regulations. The FAA did not request
Chevron
deference for its statutory interpretation,
see
Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Nat. Res. Def. Council, Inc.
,
Taylor's first argument is that the newly promulgated
Section 101.41 states:
This subpart prescribes rules governing the operation of a model aircraft ... that meets all of the following conditions as set forth in section 336 of Public Law 112-95 :
(a) The aircraft is flown strictly for hobby or recreational use;
(b) The aircraft is operated in accordance with a community-based set of safety guidelines and within the programming of a nationwide community-based organization;
(c) The aircraft is limited to not more than 55 pounds ...;
(d) The aircraft is operated in a manner that does not interfere with and gives way to any manned aircraft; and
(e) When flown within 5 miles of an airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower ... with prior notice of the operation.
Accordingly, the Small UAS Rule's § 101.41 is nothing like the Registration Rule that we invalidated in Taylor's previous challenge.
See
Huerta
,
Taylor's second claim is that the Small UAS Rule unlawfully subjects section 336 model aircraft to pre-existing regulations that were previously applicable only to traditional, full-size aircraft. According to Taylor, the rule exposes section 336 model aircraft to the "entire weight of traditional aircraft statutes and regulations," yielding "results that are as legally inescapable as they are absurd." Taylor Br. 24, 25. He claims, for example, that all hobbyists must now obtain pilots' licenses, comply with minimum altitude requirements, and service their aircraft at licensed aircraft mechanics. Id. at 25-26, 44-47.
In Taylor's view, this parade of horribles arises because § 107.1(a) states that, "[e]xcept as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this part applies to ... civil small unmanned aircraft systems."
This reads too much into the rule's reference to "civil small unmanned aircraft systems." As noted above, none of the new requirements of part 107 apply to section 336 model aircraft at all. That is because the "paragraph (b)" exception referred to in the above quotation states that "[t]his part does not apply to ... [a]ny aircraft subject to the provisions of part 101,"
Nor does any other part of the Small UAS Rule subject section 336 model aircraft to the pre-existing regulations Taylor identifies. To the contrary, in the rule's preamble, the FAA explained that it had not proposed "any changes to its existing regulations with regard to section 336 operations" and that such changes were beyond the scope of the rulemaking.
*63 At oral argument, the FAA agreed with this interpretation. 4 Accordingly, because Taylor's petition for review was limited to the Small UAS Rule, see Pet. for Rev., Taylor v. FAA , No. 16-1302 (D.C. Cir. Aug. 29, 2016), he will have to file a new petition should he ever wish to challenge an attempt by the FAA to apply a pre-existing rule to section 336 model aircraft.
Because the challenged rule's only regulation of section 336 model aircraft is permitted by the Modernization Act, the FAA has honored the statutory safe harbor for these aircraft. We therefore reject this challenge.
B
Taylor's next contention concerns the FAA's statutory authority to regulate non-section 336 model aircraft. Unlike section 336 model aircraft, these recreational aircraft fall outside the statutory (and regulatory) safe harbor and are subject to the new operating requirements of part 107. 5 Taylor argues that the FAA lacks statutory authority to regulate non-section 336 model aircraft.
According to Taylor, prior to passage of the Modernization Act, "the FAA consistently acknowledged it did not have regulatory authority over recreational model aircraft." Taylor Br. 30. Taylor maintains that, at the time the Modernization Act was passed, the FAA's interpretation of the pre-existing Federal Aviation Act was that only "commercial use small unmanned vehicles" were aircraft; recreational model aircraft, by contrast, were not "aircraft" at all.
We do not need to resolve the parties' dispute about the FAA's previous interpretation of the pre-existing statutory provisions, or their dispute about whether those provisions alone would have been sufficient to authorize the Small UAS Rule. The primary authority upon which the FAA relies for that rule is a
new
statutory section: section 333 of the Modernization Act, passed in 2012.
See
Modernization Act § 333 directs the FAA to determine "which types of unmanned aircraft ... may operate safely in the national airspace system," and then directs the agency to "establish requirements for the safe operation of such aircraft." Modernization Act § 333(b), (c). Section 336, in turn, defines a "model aircraft"
*64 as "an unmanned aircraft that is ... flown for hobby or recreational purposes ." Modernization Act § 336(c)(3) (emphases added). And it provides that the FAA may not promulgate regulations regarding "a model aircraft ... if ... the aircraft" satisfies the five operational criteria of the safe harbor. Id . § 336(a) (emphasis added). Thus, the text makes clear that Congress has authorized the FAA to regulate recreational model aircraft, so long as they are outside the safe harbor of section 336(a). 6
There is nothing to support Taylor's contention that, notwithstanding the above, the Modernization Act was intended to codify the alleged prior understanding that the FAA could not regulate any recreational model aircraft.
7
To begin, we note that Taylor has cited neither statutory language nor legislative history that indicates such an intent. It is true, as Taylor notes, that "Congress is presumed to be aware of an administrative ... interpretation of a statute and to adopt that interpretation when it re-enacts a statute without change."
Lorillard v. Pons
,
Taylor insists that the
structure
of the Modernization Act indicates that Congress "adopted the FAA's [allegedly] consistent interpretation that recreational model aircraft are neither 'civil aircraft' nor 'public aircraft' (the only two types of aircraft that exist)," and that, as such, "they are not aircraft at all." Taylor Br. 35 (citing
First, the suggestion that recreational model aircraft are neither "public" nor "civil" aircraft, and hence "not aircraft at all," is at best a counterintuitive interpretation of the pre-existing statutory definition.
9
In any event, the contention that a model aircraft is not an "aircraft" for purposes of the Modernization Act is directly contradicted by the Act itself, which, as we have just noted, defines "model aircraft" as "an unmanned aircraft that is ... flown for hobby or recreational purposes." Modernization
*65
Act § 336(c)(3);
see
Second, the Act does not create the three separate regimes that Taylor perceives. Section 332 does apply to "civil unmanned aircraft," and section 334 does apply to "public unmanned aircraft."
Nor does section 336 constitute a statutory bar against any regulation of recreational model aircraft. As set forth above, that section provides that the FAA may not promulgate regulations regarding "a model aircraft ...
if
... the aircraft" satisfies the five operational criteria of the safe harbor.
Id
. § 336(a) (emphasis added). The
expressio unius est exclusio alterius
canon-"the expression of one thing implies the exclusion of others"-suggests that the FAA
may
promulgate regulations if an aircraft does
not
satisfy those criteria.
10
And while that canon's "force in particular situations depends entirely on context,"
In re Sealed Case No. 97-3112
,
Finally, although we hold that the FAA has authority to apply the part 107 requirements to recreational model aircraft outside the safe harbor (that is, to non-section 336 model aircraft), we do not decide whether the agency may apply any other regulations to these aircraft. We do not read part 107-or anything else that the FAA promulgated in the Small UAS Rule that is the sole subject of the petition before us-to make other regulatory provisions applicable to these recreational model aircraft, except for those provisions expressly cross-referenced in the rule.
See, e.g.
,
*66 C
We turn next to Taylor's contention that the Small UAS Rule is "arbitrary and capricious." Taylor Br. 40 (citing
1. Taylor first asserts that the Small UAS Rule creates "absurd and contradictory results [by] applying full-size aircraft regulations" to model aircraft. Taylor Br. 41. We reject this challenge because the rule does not do so. As explained above, the Small UAS Rule does not apply any regulations to section 336 model aircraft except the anti-endangerment regulation. Nor does the rule apply full-size aircraft regulations to non-section 336 model aircraft. As also explained above, the only regulations the rule applies to such aircraft are those in (and referenced in) the new part 107, which was specifically crafted for small unmanned aircraft. 13
2. So far as Taylor challenges the FAA's decision to regulate recreational non-section 336 model aircraft at all, rather than limiting its regulations solely to commercial (non-recreational) craft, the FAA appropriately accounted for that choice. The agency explained that, "from a safety point of view, there is no difference between the risk posed by recreational operations ... and non-recreational ... operations."
3. Taylor also argues that the agency arbitrarily changed its position regarding the regulation of recreational model aircraft. In Taylor's view, the agency historically treated such aircraft as "toys ... rather than as a type of 'aircraft' " subject
*67
to the FAA's statutory authority. Taylor Br. 11. He contends that the Small UAS "Rule's application of [p]art 107 ... to recreational [non-section 336] model aircraft" thus marks a "radical change" that the agency cannot lawfully ignore.
Once again, it is unnecessary for us to wade into the agency's historical practice because the "primary authority" for the rule was a
new
statute, the Modernization Act.
4. Taylor further contends that the agency acted arbitrarily and capriciously by imposing a notice requirement on operators of section 336 model aircraft. Specifically, he objects to the requirement that model aircraft operators who want an exemption from part 107 must "provide[ ] [an] airport operator and the airport air traffic control tower ... with prior notice of the operation" when flying within five miles of the airport.
We reject Taylor's argument because it is the statute, not the regulation, that imposes the notice requirement.
See
Modernization Act § 336(a)(5). As we have said, Modernization Act § 336(a) lists five operational criteria, including the notice requirement, that model aircraft must satisfy to fall within the statutory safe harbor. Section 101.41 faithfully tracks those requirements, including the notice requirement.
Compare
5. Fifth, we reject Taylor's contention that the FAA acted unreasonably by declining to define certain terms in the Small UAS Rule. Taylor maintains that the FAA should have clarified what makes an organization a "nationwide community-based organization," what qualifies as "programming," and what activities "endanger the safety of the national airspace."
See
In the notice accompanying the Small UAS Rule, the FAA stated that "issues concerning the specific meaning of section 336 (such as what makes an organization a nationwide community-based organization) are beyond the scope of this rule."
The "separate regulatory action" to which the agency referred was the proceeding for issuance of an Interpretation of the Special Rule for Model Aircraft.
See
Contrary to Taylor's complaint, it was not unreasonable (or unconstitutional) for the FAA to use the instant rulemaking merely to codify section 336 and to consider the specific meaning of section 336's provisions in the separate regulatory action that it had already begun. "An agency enjoys broad discretion in determining how best to handle related, yet discrete, issues in terms of ... priorities" and "need not solve every problem before it in the same proceeding."
Mobil OilExpl. & Producing Se. Inc. v. United Distrib. Cos.
,
We therefore reject all of Taylor's "arbitrary and capricious" challenges to the rule.
D
Finally, Taylor contends that the FAA violated the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA),
According to Taylor, the agency did not follow the required procedures before mandating that operators of section 336(a) model aircraft provide notice to airports. As we have explained, however, that notification provision is one of the five statutory criteria required of operators who wish to take advantage of the safe harbor provided by section 336(a).
See supra
Part II.C.4. The FAA's regulation merely repeats that criterion, without any elaboration or specification of the form of notice required. Hence, the PRA is inapplicable because it was Congress, not the agency, that made notification a prerequisite for entry into the safe harbor.
Compare
Saco River Cellular, Inc. v. FCC
,
Taylor also faults the FAA for failing to follow PRA procedures for the B4UFLY smartphone application, an app designed to give unmanned aircraft operators real-time information about flight restrictions and other requirements. Because B4UFLY was not part of the challenged Small UAS Rule, it is beyond the scope of the petition for review that is now before us. We note, however, the FAA's representation that PRA procedures were in fact followed and that OMB approved the collection of information with respect to B4UFLY. FAA Br. 48. We also note Taylor's failure to dispute the point in his reply brief.
III
The FAA has promulgated a rule that regulates section 336 model aircraft only to the extent expressly permitted by Congress. The rule regulates recreational non-section 336 model aircraft more broadly, but that regulation is likewise consistent with Congressional directives. Because the rule is within the agency's statutory authority and is neither arbitrary nor capricious, the petition for review is
Denied.
Section 107.1 accomplishes this by providing that part 107 "does not apply to ... [a]ny aircraft subject to the provisions of part 101."
Of course, a rule that defines the category of aircraft that it does not regulate could be described as a rule "regarding" such aircraft. But we do not read section 336(a) as barring the FAA from advising operators which aircraft are not subject to the Small UAS Rule.
Taylor does not challenge the FAA's authority to promulgate the anti-endangerment regulation for good reason. As noted in Part I, the statutory Special Rule contains an exception to the section 336(a) regulatory bar for this type of FAA regulation. See Modernization Act § 336(b) ("Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the Administrator to pursue enforcement action against persons operating model aircraft who endanger the safety of the national airspace system.").
Oral Arg. Recording at 48:20-48:57 (Court: "Do you regard anything that the agency did in the rulemaking that is challenged here as imposing any regulations on model aircraft that satisfy the statute's 336 requirements?" FAA Counsel: "No." Court: "No requirements of any kind?" Counsel: "No. ... There is a regulation that prohibits reckless operations, but ... 336(b) expressly permits FAA to prevent reckless operation even of model aircraft.").
Part 107 applies to "civil small unmanned aircraft systems" except, as relevant here, to "[a]ny aircraft subject to the provisions of part 101."
The statutory text likewise contradicts Taylor's contention that an aircraft is solely "a tool of manned flight, used, by a person, to achieve that person's flight." Taylor Br. 31 n.16. At least with respect to the Modernization Act, "aircraft" includes "unmanned aircraft." See Modernization Act § 331(8).
In
Taylor v. Huerta
, we did say that section 336(a) "codified the FAA's longstanding hands-off approach to the regulation of model aircraft."
Nor did it merely "adopt[ ] a new law incorporating sections of a prior law."
Lorillard
,
Section 40102(a) defines an "aircraft" as "any contrivance ... designed to navigate, or fly in, the air."
Cf.
Jennings v. Rodriguez
, --- U.S. ----,
Oral Arg. Recording at 53:46-54:09 (Court: "In your view, the only-the only requirements that apply to unmanned aircraft that don't meet 336 are those contained in 107, [is] that right?" FAA Counsel: "That's right ... to be clear, it's a subset of operations, so ... it has to be during the day, you have to have visual line of sight observer, all of those things.").
Because those pre-existing regulations and the statutory provisions upon which they were based (including their definition of "aircraft") are not before us, we do not address Taylor's complaint that, by deferring consideration of how such regulations and provisions apply to recreational unmanned aircraft systems, the FAA rendered those regulations and provisions arbitrary, capricious, or unconstitutionally vague.
We do not understand Taylor to be charging that the small unmanned aircraft regulations of part 107 are themselves "absurd and contradictory" as applied to non-section 336 model aircraft. In any event, his briefs do not do so with sufficient specificity for us to discern such a charge. The FAA crafted the regulations of part 107 because it recognized that pre-existing regulations did "not differentiate between manned and unmanned aircraft" and hence could result in an "undue burden" on small unmanned aircraft operations.
See
Am. Bird Conservancy, Inc. v. FCC
,
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John A. TAYLOR, Petitioner v. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, Respondent
- Cited By
- 2 cases
- Status
- Published