Mark Your Calendar: 2024 FAA Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Symposium

This year's FAA Drone and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Symposium will focus on how the FAA continues to safely integrate these aircraft while creating a framework to accelerate advanced operations.

The event, which runs from July 30 – Aug 1 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Maryland, will bring together representatives from the FAA, other government agencies, international aviation experts, industry leaders and academia. 

The presenters and panelists will discuss the latest information and advancements related to the diverse uses of drones and the safe integration of Advanced Air Mobility aircraft, like air taxis, into the National Airspace System.

Learn more and find out how to register here.

Packing electronics for your trip?

Double check your (and the kids') bags before you head to the airport. Laptops, portable power banks, cell phones and other lithium battery powered devices should be in your carry-on luggage.

For a Safe Start, Check the Chart!

PackSafe At The Ticket Counter

Laptops, lighters, e-cigarettes, lithium batteries, paint, aerosols, fuel... these are just a few of the many common items you use everyday that are considered dangerous goods and have restrictions on how or if they can be packed in your luggage for air travel. Before you check your bag at the ticket counter with your air carrier, learn more about what items may need to be limited or left behind when you pack for your next trip at http://www.faa.gov/packsafe.

Click on the PackSafe At The Ticket Counter image above to watch a short video.

Check out the PackSafe Resources for Passengers for more videos and information to help you plan your trip.

New: Dry Ice Fact Sheet for Shippers & Freight Forwarders

Did you know dry ice is a dangerous good and regulated for air transportation? When shipping or handling shipments of perishable items, such as food products, pet food, medicines, medical specimens or health and wellness products with dry ice by aircraft, you must comply with the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). Please know that most express and expedited shipments will likely end up on an aircraft. As a shipper or freight forwarder, you must ensure dry ice is properly prepared and declared to the air carrier. The safety of the aircraft and crew depends on it.

Visit the FAA's Resources for Shippers & E-Commerce page to review the new Dry Ice Fact Sheet for Shippers & Freight Forwarders. 

New: Shipping Safety for Drones – Hydrogen Fuel Cells Brochure

Hydrogen fuel cells are quickly becoming a new way to power drones. Safety is paramount. Compressed gases like hydrogen are dangerous goods and can pose a risk when transported.

You can read the new Shipping Safety for Drones – Hydrogen Fuel Cells Brochure here.

Alaska Dangerous Goods Resources

Aviation and Dangerous Goods are essential to life in Alaska, with 82 percent of the Communities in Alaska accessible only by air. For example, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is #2 in the United States for the landed cargo weight and #5 in the world for cargo throughout. Much of the cargo into Alaska includes everyday consumer products that are Dangerous Goods that the residents of Alaska rely on to conduct life in this unique environment.  Alaska’s terrain and infrastructure pose unique challenges to both the transportation of people and cargo. 

Click here to learn more about the FAA's efforts to improve aviation transportation accessibility to all communities and find resources if you operate flights in, to, or from Alaska.

Lithium Battery Air Incidents Involving Smoke, Fire or Extreme Heat

Note: These are lithium battery related events involving smoke, fire, or extreme heat that the FAA is aware of and should not be considered a complete listing of all such incidents. The methods of collecting and recording these incidents and the data involved has changed over the life span of this chart as the FAA’s Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has evolved.  The incident summaries included here are intended to be brief and objective. They do not represent all information the FAA has collected, nor do they include all investigative or enforcement action taken.

This chart was last updated on May 15, 2024.

Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) 'CALLBACK' Newsletter Highlights

High Impact Maintenance

This month, CALLBACK has selected reports that demonstrate the high impact that maintenance can wield, be it positive or negative.

Read the full newsletter from ASRS here.

Tips to Help Charge Medical Devices Safely and Avoid Overheating

The FDA is offering tips to help you charge your medical devices safely. Charging medical devices the wrong way can lead to overheating, which can result in fires, minor injuries, or serious burns.

Medical devices that use a USB charger include hearing aids, glucose monitors, insulin pumps, and a wide variety of other products. The FDA is offering tips to help reduce the risks of your device overheating.

Visit the FDA website to learn 7 Tips to Help Charge Medical Devices Safely.