Praises Initiatives Announced At AUVSI Conference

Rep. Rick Larsen, (D-WA), the ranking Democrat on the House Transportation Aviation Subcommittee, welcomed the FAA's announcement Wednesday of a new initiative to research expanded uses of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial purposes. The FAA will partner with three companies to look at the safety of extended UAS operations beyond the line of sight of the operator.

The initiative builds on the FAA’s draft small UAS rules released earlier this year, which require UAS to fly where operators can see them.
 
“Safety is, and must be, the FAA’s number-one priority. I know it is mine, as the Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee," Larsen (pictured)  said in a statement released to the media. "I also know the UAS industry has great potential to drive economic growth and create jobs, including in my district in Washington state, an epicenter of aviation R&D.
 
“FAA’s partnership with industry experts should help us understand more about how UAS technology might work outside of an operator’s sightline. I am pleased FAA is continuing to look at new opportunities like this one.
 
“Over the past year, FAA has made progress addressing the integration of UAS technology into the national airspace, and this is another significant step forward. One of my priorities in the upcoming FAA reauthorization bill is to ensure that Congress continues to support FAA’s efforts to safely integrate UAS while helping our country keep its place as the global leader in aviation and aerospace technology,” Larsen said.

FMI: http://larsen.house.gov