Last week, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and John Thune\n(R-SD) introduced the Increasing Competitiveness for American Drones Act of\n2023, comprehensive legislation to streamline the approvals process for beyond\nvisual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flights and clear the way for drones to be\nused for commercial transport of goods across the country \u2013 making sure that\nthe U.S. remains competitive globally in a growing industry increasingly\ndominated by competitors like China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Currently, each aircraft and each BVLOS operation that takes\nflight requires unmanned aerial system (UAS) operators to seek waivers from the\nFederal Aviation Administration (FAA), but the FAA has not laid out any\nconsistent set of criteria for the granting of waivers, making the process for\napproving drone flights slow and unpredictable. The bipartisan Increasing\nCompetitiveness for American Drones Act will require the FAA to issue a new\nrule allowing BVLOS operations under certain circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDrones have the ability to transform so much of the way we\ndo business. Beyond package delivery, drones can change the way we grow crops,\nmanage disasters, maintain our infrastructure, and administer medicine,\u201d said\nSen. Warner. \u201cIf we want the drones of tomorrow to be manufactured in the U.S.\nand not in China, we have to start working today to integrate them into our\nairspace. Revamping the process for approving commercial drone flight will\ncatapult the United States into the 21st century, allowing us to finally start\ncompeting at the global level as technological advancements make drone usage\never more common.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDrones have the potential to transform the economy, with\ninnovative opportunities for transportation and agriculture that would benefit\nrural states like South Dakota,\u201d said Sen. Thune. \u201cI\u2019m proud to support this\nlegislation that provides a clear framework for the approval of complex drone\noperations, furthering the integration of these aircraft into the National\nAirspace System.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Specifically, the bill requires the FAA to establish a \u201crisk\nmethodology,\u201d which will be used to determine what level of regulatory scrutiny\nis required: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, the Increasing Competitiveness for American\nDrones Act would create the position of \u201cAssociate Administrator of UAS Integration\u201d\nas well as a UAS Certification Unit that would have the sole authority to issue\nall rulemakings, certifications, and waivers. This new organizational structure\nwould create central rulemaking body for UAS, allowing for a more uniform\nprocess. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCommercial drone operations provide valuable services to\nthe American public and workforce \u2013 but significant regulatory hurdles are\nhampering these benefits from reaching their fullest potential and jeopardize\nU.S. global leadership in aviation. The regulatory challenges are not driven by\nsafety, they are hampered by bureaucracy. We accordingly have urged Congress to\nprioritize drone integration, and we are grateful for the support of Senators\nWarner and Thune in this cause. AUVSI is proud to endorse this legislation, and\nwe urge Congress to include it as part of their critical work this year to pass\na multi-year FAA Reauthorization,\u201d Michael Robbins, Chief Advocacy Officer of\nthe Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Coalition is grateful for the leadership of Senators\nThune and Warner, and this bill comes at a pivotal time for the drone industry.\nSince 2012, Congress has worked to progress the law and regulation around\ncommercial drone use, but now, in 2023, this progress has slowed as regulations\nand approvals continue to be delayed. With reauthorization of Federal Aviation\nAdministration (FAA) programs required by September 30, this year is a critical\ntime for the drone industry,\u201d said The Small UAV Coalition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Commercial Drone Alliance applauds the introduction of\nthe Increasing Competitiveness for American Drones Act of 2023, and we commend\nand thank Senator Warner and Senator Thune for their leadership on these\nimportant issues. While the U.S. has lagged behind other countries in\ndeveloping and deploying uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), this legislation\nprovides the U.S. with the opportunity to reestablish its prominence as a\nglobal leader in advanced aviation and compete more effectively in the global\neconomy,\u201d said The Commercial Drone Alliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sen. Warner has been a strong supporter of research and investment in unmanned systems, including driverless cars, drones, and unmanned maritime vehicles. He previously introduced legislation designed to advance the development of UAS and build on the FAA\u2019s efforts to safely integrate them into the National Airspace System. Virginia is home to one of seven FAA-approved sites<\/a> across the country where researchers are testing the safest and most effective ways to incorporate UAS into the existing airspace \u2013 including the first-ever package delivery by drone to take place in the United States. Last October, Sen. Warner visited<\/a> the headquarters of DroneUp, a leader in independent drone delivery contracting, in Hampton Roads, Virginia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n