by Madison Hirneisen
Legislation recently introduced in Congress aims to bolster further research and development of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), including drone integration research taking place at Virginia Tech.
The legislation, introduced last month by U.S. Sens. Mark Warner, D-VA, and John Hoeven, R-ND, seek to extend the authorization for the Federal Aviation Administration’s UAS test sites for an additional five years. There are currently seven FAA UAS test sites across the nation involved in drone research, one of which is located at Virginia Tech.
The FAA-designated test at Virginia Tech – the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership – conducts research and development for drone integration, oversees test flights and crafts safety cases.
“Unmanned Aerial Systems have the potential to transform the way we manage disasters, maintain our infrastructure, administer medicine, tackle national security threats and conduct day-to-day business,” Warner said in a statement. “UAS test sites, such as the one located at Virginia Tech, are crucial to the research and development of these technologies, and I am glad to continue building on the progress we have made over the last decade.”
Beyond their use in the U.S. military, drones are also used by federal agencies to carry out disaster relief and conduct search and rescue efforts, according to FedTech.
In addition to expanding the authorization for FAA UAS test sites through 2028, the legislation introduced by Warner and Hoeven would also formally authorize research grants through the FAA “for the purpose of demonstrating or validating technology related to the integration of UAS in the national airspace system,” according to a press release.
Warner is also the author of the Increasing Competitiveness for American Drones Act, legislation introduced in February that aims to make it possible for commercial goods to be transported by drones across the U.S. Amazon has been trying for years to get its drone delivery service off the ground, but the company has failed to clear technical and regulatory hurdles, as reported by Wired.
Warner also joined Sen. Rick Scott, R-FL, in introducing the American Security Drone Act of 2023, which would outlaw the purchase of drones from countries identified as national security threats, according to a press release.
– – –
Madison Hirneisen is a staff reporter covering Virginia and Maryland for The Center Square. Madison previously covered California for The Center Square out of Los Angeles, but recently relocated to the DC area. Her reporting has appeared in several community newspapers and The Washington Times.
Photo “Mark Warner” by Mark Warner.
