The Virginia Department of Aviation (DOAV) and Center for\nInnovative Technology (CIT) today announced the launch of the Virginia Flight\nInformation Exchange pilot program, a tool that will allow state and local\ngovernments to share information among unmanned aerial systems (UAS)\nstakeholders and address key safety and policy concerns while keeping the\nairspace open, secure, and integrated with Federal Aviation Administration\n(FAA) control of the national airspace. Virginia Flight Information Exchange\nwill ensure the Commonwealth balances both the safest and most open UAS\nairspace in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Virginia Flight Information Exchange is a platform for\nstate and local government agencies to publish and share advisory information\nwith each other, UAS Service Suppliers (USS), unmanned system operators, and\nthe public to promote transparency and public safety. The pilot program will\nevaluate the benefits of information sharing, inform thoughtful regulation, and\ndemonstrate a state-supported approach to UAS communications and coordination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pilot program was developed through a public-private\ncollaboration with the Virginia DOAV, CIT and its Virginia Unmanned Systems\nCenter, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), and Advanced\nTechnology Applications (ATA), a leading data science and engineering company\nin Northern Virginia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cInnovation plays a critical role in the continuous\nevolution of Virginia\u2019s multimodal transportation network,\u201d said Virginia\nSecretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine. \u201cThe development of the Virginia\nFlight Information Exchange demonstrates Virginia\u2019s commitment to collaborative\nsolutions and the future of the emerging UAS industry sector.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Virginia Flight Information Exchange will be the first\nstate-sponsored authoritative Supplemental Data Service Provider (SDSP) to\nexist in the FAA\u2019s UAS Traffic Management (UTM), which is an ecosystem of\ninfrastructure and protocols enabling the management of lowaltitude drone\noperations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWith one of the strongest technology workforces in the\ncountry, Virginia has been an aggressive early adopter of UAS, and the Flight\nInformation Exchange furthers our Commonwealth\u2019s reputation as an industry\nleader,\u201d said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. \u201cBy working with\nVirginia industry leaders like ATA, we support the growth of unmanned aerial\nsystems capabilities and opportunities throughout the Commonwealth. We\u2019re very\nproud that Virginia is playing a key role in UAS, and it\u2019s exciting to be part\nof this rapidly evolving industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is great to be working with a team willing to\ncollaborate, experiment, and share lessons learned,\u201d said Craig Parisot, Chief\nExecutive Officer of ATA, LLC. \u201cWe are helping states and localities gain a\nnecessary technical capability while setting an important example for how states\ncan support the growth of UAS and commercial UTM solutions in a manner that\nbest serves the public interest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n