Drone Industry Group Seeks Short-Term FAA Reauthorization Extension With Provisions

House and Senate committee leaders need to pass a short-term extension of Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization legislation with certain provisions for the continued integration of unmanned aerial systems, urged the Small UAV Coalition Tuesday. FAA reauthorization expires July 15. Provisions in House and Senate reauthorization bills would establish an unmanned traffic management system, create a framework for drones and affirm exclusive federal jurisdiction over national airspace, aircraft and pilots to supersede a patchwork of different restrictions, the industry group wrote in a letter to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster, R-Pa., and ranking member Pete DeFazio, D-Ore., and Senate Commerce Chairman John Thune, R-S.D., and ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Fla. A short-term extension is needed now, but the group, which counts Amazon and Google among members, said a longer-term plan is "imperative. The burgeoning UAS industry needs a forward-leaning, long-term regulatory framework within which it can develop in a safe, responsible, and efficient manner." The group said recent FAA rules on commercial operations for drones weighing under 55 pounds are a good start (see 1606210025) but added that the rules don't "alleviate the need for Congress to act to ensure that the FAA takes a more progressive and expeditious approach to developing robust UAS regulations."