Statement of Brian Wynne, President and CEO of AUVSI On the FAA Announcement of Pathfinder Program

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ATLANTA – Brian Wynne, president & CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), today released the following statement on the FAA’s announcement of three new research areas for UAS testing, including beyond line of sight, extended line of sight and operations over crowds:

 

“The potential of UAS technology is on full display at Unmanned Systems 2015. From anti-poaching to disaster response and package delivery, UAS applications aren’t limited by technology or imagination; they’re only limited by regulations. We’re pleased to see the FAA recognize the need to keep the U.S. competitive with other countries who are also interested in this technology. If the next big leaps in UAS innovation are going to occur inside the U.S., we need to lay the groundwork now for more expansive and transformational operations, including beyond line of sight.”

 

In its comments on the FAA’s proposed rules for small UAS, AUVSI called for a flexible regulatory framework and, among other recommendations, allow for beyond-line-of-sight operations and nighttime operations.

 

In addition, Wynne testified at the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology in January calling for a deeper national commitment to UAS research and development. Specifically, Wynne called for a comprehensive industry-government UAS research plan, more resources for the federal government to coordinate UAS research, and intellectual property protections for the companies that participate in UAS R&D.


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