The UAS Policy Landscape

May 6, 2021 | AUVSI News

Even in the absence of significant federal legislation, the policy landscape for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) has continued to evolve. The FAA recently released its highly anticipated UAS remote identification rule, along with new frameworks for operations over people and at night, and Congress has grappled with drone-related topics at the intersection of geopolitics and cybersecurity. 

During a session at XPONENTIAL 2021, representatives from regulatory agencies, Capitol Hill and industry assessed the current UAS policy landscape and discussed priorities for the future. 

Federal airspace authority 

Legislation introduced in several states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and West Virginia, would place new restrictions on drone operations through ‘avigation easements’ – which would divide airspace, impose leasing and in some cases, collect fees – all before this industry has had a chance to fully take off.

Michael Robbins, Executive Vice President of Government and Public Affairs at AUVSI stated: “We need a continuation of national rules and approaches from the FAA – not a patchwork of conflicting and unsafe state laws that divide the airspace and increase costs for consumers and drone operators.”

Panelists agreed that this area deserves greater attention and would benefit from clarification from the Federal Aviation Administration. Going forward, regulators and lawmakers should frame this conversation in a way that incorporates input from all levels of government and considers judicial issues through the lens of existing test cases in pursuit of a comprehensive, solidified framework.

As more people and businesses use drones, AUVSI will continue to work with state legislators to pursue balanced and appropriate policies that support the advancement of drone technology and bring new opportunities, jobs and services to cities and states across the U.S. 

Public safety and trust 

Mark Bathrick, Director at the U.S. Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Office of Aviation Services, shared that thousands of missions have been successfully flown over public lands. He emphasized that DOI considers good communication to be key in earning the public’s trust in regularly conduct critical safety operations using drones.  

Workforce and manufacturing support 

Maggie Ayrea, Legislative Director for Congressman Garret Graves, shared that the workforce perspective is critical on Capitol Hill. She noted that regulatory frameworks should enable new innovations that provide the well-paying, resilient jobs of the future, and in turn, the UAS industry should support investments in areas outside traditional tech hubs.

Those interested in AUVSI’s work with regulators and Congress can learn more about the UAS Advocacy Committee here.