UAS Integration Program participants announced
US Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao has announced the 10 state, local and tribal governments who will conduct flight tests as part of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program
US Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao has announced the 10 state, local and tribal governments who will conduct flight tests as part of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Integration Pilot Program. The fields that could see immediate opportunities from the program include commerce, photography, emergency management, public safety, precision agriculture and infrastructure inspections.
Brian Wynne, president and CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), issued the following statement on the announcement of the participants selected for the Federal Aviation Administration’s UAS Integration Pilot Program: “The participants selected represent a commitment by governments at all levels to safely and efficiently integrate UAS into the national airspace. As more and more businesses and public institutions embrace UAS, it is more important than ever to have a process in which states, municipalities and tribal governments can provide input on federal policy without infringing on the US government’s jurisdiction over the airspace.
He went on: “The data the participants will collect on UAS operations will help shape a national UAS policy framework, including for a UAS traffic management system and expanded UAS operations such as flying over people or beyond line of sight. We look forward to seeing the results of their work and the contributions these groups will make to keeping our skies safe.”
Participants selected for the program include:
• City of Reno, Nevada
• City of San Diego, California
• Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
• Innovation and Entrepreneurship Investment Authority (Virginia Tech)
• Kansas Department of Transportation
• Lee County (Florida) Mosquito Control District
• Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority
• North Carolina Department of Transportation
• North Dakota Department of Transportation
• University of Alaska-Fairbanks