The below letter was sent on April 12 from a number of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) stakeholders and other organizations to members of the U.S. Senate in support of Section 2152 in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill currently under consideration. As the letter states, “this section on federal preemption is essential so that [UAS] integration will be accomplished pursuant to uniform, national rules.”
April 12, 2016
United States Senate
The U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C. 20510
Members of the United States Senate:
As organizations with a profound interest in the safe integration of UAS into the National Airspace System, we ask you to join us in opposing Sen. Feinstein’s amendments #3558 and #3650 or any other amendment that would change or strike the federal preemption provision, section 2152, of the FAA Reauthorization Act and put safety at risk. This section on federal preemption is essential so that UAS integration will be accomplished pursuant to uniform rules across the country.
Rules and regulations that determine who can fly, whether you can fly, where you can fly, how high you can fly, or when you can fly are generally the exclusive domain of the federal government. Proposals by state and local governments in these areas have the potential to create a complicated patchwork of laws that may erode, rather than enhance, air safety.
Additionally, it opens the door to those jurisdictions being able to put forward proposals that could have a profound effect on the operations of the manned aviation community.
A consistent framework will bring clarity to the regulations governing commercial UAS operations and obviate the need for states and municipalities to enact their own laws, which have the strong potential to create confusion and compliance burdens.
