Statement by Brian Wynne, President and CEO of AUVSI, on Appointments to the Virginia Unmanned Systems Commission

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Aug. 17, 2015

Contact: Tom McMahon, 571-255-7786 or tmcmahon@auvsi.org

Virginia commission to advance robotic technologies in the air, ground and sea includes eight representatives from AUVSI membership

ARLINGTON, Va. — Brian Wynne, president and CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, today issued the following statement on appointments to the Virginia Unmanned Systems Commission:



“AUVSI applauds the efforts of Gov. McAuliffe in appointing civilian industry representatives to work with the administration to determine how Virginia can be a national leader in the development systems such as unmanned aircraft systems, self-driving ground vehicles and unmanned marine systems. These technologies enable us to execute dangerous and difficult tasks safely and efficiently, saving time, saving money and, most importantly, saving lives.



“The formation of the Virginia Unmanned Systems Commission shows the commonwealth’s dedication to realizing the potential of these technologies and the importance of collaborating with a variety of stakeholders to enable future successes.



“We’re pleased the 19-person commission includes eight representatives who are from AUVSI’s membership, including John Langford, Aurora Flight Sciences, who will also serve as the commission’s chair; Nicole Barranco, Volkswagen Group of America, who will also serve as vice chair; Tom Dingus, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute; David Hamrick, MITRE Corp.; Young Kim, Digital Harvest; Scott Strimple, United Airlines; Steve Weidner, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association; and Robert E. Dehnert, Raytheon.



“Unmanned systems are already proving a transformative force in lives around the world. From UAS, or drones, that provide critical assistance for search and rescue, firefighting and disaster relief efforts to unmanned underwater vehicles that allow humans to safely survey vital underwater infrastructure and search for wreckages, robotic technologies are extending our capabilities, contributing to a safer world and ushering in a future with limitless possibilities.”



About AUVSI

The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) — the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of unmanned systems and robotics— represents more than 7,500 members from 60+ countries involved in the fields of government, industry and academia. AUVSI members work in the defense, civil and commercial markets.