In a testimony delivered on May 8 before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety and Security, Brian Wynne, president and CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), addressed the critical steps necessary for expanded operations of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and achieving the full integration of UAS into national airspace.
In his testimony, Wynne praised the FAA reauthorization bill recently passed by the House of Representatives as a positive step in furthering the regulatory framework. The bill calls for rulemaking on UAS Traffic Management (UTM) and the carriage of property, a necessary step for allowing UAS package deliveries, and extends the FAA UAS test site program, which will help further UAS research. He encouraged the senate to support these provisions when it considers FAA reauthorization in the coming weeks.
Wynne said that while these federal rulemakings will be vital for full integration, industry too has stepped up and offered solutions to help drive the regulatory framework forward.
“AUVSI participated in the Aviation Rulemaking Committee to provide recommendations for remotely identifying and tracking operators and owners of UAS, working towards implementing a remote ID system that identifies any UAS flying in the airspace — in real time,” he said. “To the extent more needs to be done, we need broader engagement from our government partners, notably those responsible for national security, to understand their specific concerns and work collaboratively to address them.”
Collaboration between industry and government at all levels is also necessary for UAS integration to move forward, according to Wynne. He cited the recently announced UAS Integration Pilot Program as an example of such cooperation, as the program “will offer a data-driven approach to allow for expanded UAS operations, including beyond line of sight, and UAS traffic management concept without infringing on the U.S. government’s jurisdiction over the national airspace.”
Since the FAA finalized its small UAS rule, also known as Part 107, in 2016, the demand for commercial UAS has grown tremendously. As of March 2018, more than 150,000 platforms have been registered for commercial purposes and more than 1,700 operators have received waivers for expanded operations, such as nighttime or beyond line of sight operations. The FAA expects more than 400,000 UAS to be flying for commercial purposes over the next five years.
An economic analysis by AUVSI found that the expansion of UAS technology stands to create more than 100,000 jobs and generate more than $82 billion to the economy in the first decade following full integration in to the national airspace.
“The UAS industry is primed for incredible growth, thanks to industry representatives and government regulators nurturing innovation that helps businesses be competitive in the marketplace,” Wynne said. “We hope that these efforts can be sustained, that a long-term FAA bill can be passed by the Senate and signed into law by the president this year, and that together we continue to reach new historic milestones in integrating this technology into the national airspace and pave the way for regular and widespread UAS use.”
