The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is the leading United Nations agency for addressing information and communication technology concerns as well as the global focal point for governments and the private sector that develop networks and services.

The ITU recently agreed on the new dates (23 January to 17 February 2012) for the next World Radiocommunication Conference in 2012. The conference will take place in Geneva, Switzerland. The World Radiocommunication Conference (or W-R-C), which convenes every three to four years, is the core of the international spectrum management process and constitutes the starting point for the national practices of most countries.

The WRC, which produces a formal treaty regarding spectrum use, is attended by nearly two thousand delegates from almost two hundred countries. WRC delegates meet for four long weeks to discuss debate and decide on any proposals to change the International Radio Regulations. Radio Regulations and, particularly, the Table of Frequency Allocations must be revised and updated on a regular basis in view of the enormous demand for radio spectrum.

For almost 145 years, the ITU has coordinated the shared global use of the radio spectrum, promoted international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, worked to improve telecommunication infrastructure in the developing world, established the worldwide standards that foster seamless interconnection of a vast range of communications systems, and addressed the global challenges of our times.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are one example of a technology that is highly dependent on access to the radio spectrum and therefore the WRC-2012 may change the international Radio Regulations to provide more spectrum access for UAS.

The UAS working group at the ITU is under the chairmanship of Mr. Mark N. Lewellen. UAS spectrum issues are addressed in a new course, taught by Mr. Lewellen, which offered by the Applied Technology Institute.   (See Mark N. Lewellen)

Mr. Lewellen also provides a comprehensive overview of UAS that can be of immediate use to new employees, practicing engineers, and program managers. Those who take the course will gain practical knowledge about UAS that will enable them to optimize their specific applications, to evaluate and compare capabilities, to interact meaningfully with colleagues, and to master the terminology.