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DIU Blue sUAS program manager Trent Emeneker said that users in the field would provide feedback on what does – and does not – work for them.  That feedback will provide the basis for the competitive refresh of the list.

Agricultural Spray Distributors Form Grassroots Group to Oppose Proposed Chinese Drone Ban

Michael Robbins, President & CEO of AUVSI, recently testified before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Aviation highlighting the critical role of regulatory frameworks and education in advancing the drone and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) industries.

The NDAA is also a critical piece of legislation for the drone industry, directing funding and focus for the development and use of both military and dual-use drone technology.

Commercial drone industry leaders have been speaking out about the legislation, and news outlets have detailed the ways that government officials, business advocacy groups, and others are preparing for what could be a dramatically altered business environment for the drone industry.

North Carolina General Assembly has passed House Bill 198, effectively removing the requirement for a state uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) operator knowledge test and permit.

Letter to Law Enforcemnt Drone Association Membership regarding DJI ban legislation

Chairs of Homeland Security and Energy and Commerce Committees Urge DHS and DOE to Release Information on Potential Threats

While the author examined data for the state of Texas, the data reflects trends found throughout the country.

A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would extend the authority of the DHS and the DOJ to mitigate threats from errant unmanned aerial systems, while also granting the FAA additional counter-UAS power.

NDAA FY25 Passed House Friday, June 14 by Narrow Margin: What's Happening with the Countering CCP Drones Act Now?

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have pledged to work together to meet the challenges of a fast-changing and evolving aviation industry and the increasing speed of development of future technologies.

Letter to Senate Armed Services Committee highlights severe impact on public safety operations

We recommended, among other things, that FAA help tribal, state, and local law enforcement understand how to use Remote ID to help with drone investigations.

the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) announced the publication of a memo, with validation from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), with procurement guidance and recommendations for federal government agencies; state, local, and tribal government agencies; public safety agencies; and private industry conducting sensitive missions using drones

Florida, state and private sector actors have been pressing hard since 2021 to develop a system of "vertiports" for takeoffs and landings

A key component of the act is the extension of the Alliance for System Safety of UAS through Research Excellence (ASSURE), FAA's Center of Excellence for UAS programs, which promotes innovation and collaboration within the UAS industry.

The bill directs the FAA to work with eVTOL manufacturers, prospective operators and other relevant stakeholders to encourage the growth of an AAM system and enable the safe entry of these next-generation aircraft into the national airspace system

Representatives ) are asking Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate a drone-industry advocacy group that they say is actually run by DJI, a Pentagon-designated Chinese military company,

Bill paves the way for integrating UAS into U.S. airspace system

Appeals Court Upholds Ban on Aerial Mapping by Non-Surveyors

FAA Reauthorization Bill Mandates Final Rule for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Drone Flights to Boost Industry Growth

The bill, which has garnered praise from advocates representing virtually all segments of the drone and advanced aviation industries,

Industry Perspectives on the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024

Exploring the FAR Part 5 Final Rule: Enhancing Drone Safety and Compliance

the Michigan Supreme Court had ruled that drone footage of a couple's private property should not be excluded as evidence in a civil action against them.

This year's FAA Drone and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Symposium will focus on how the FAA continues to safely integrate these aircraft while creating a framework to accelerate advanced operations.

Key assets and test sites across the state are setting the stage for research and development, manufacturing and more.

New legislative proposal in the U.S. Congress, known as the Drones for First Responders (DFR) Act, is poised to strike a careful balance between enhancing national security and supporting domestic drone manufacturing.

UTM is not a single system: it's a complex structure of regulations, technologies, and relationships working together to provide new levels of airspace awareness to all participants.

keynote addresses brought aviation leadership from Europe and the US together to discuss what progress has been made on developing a regulatory and infrastructure framework for air mobility,

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recently granted a crucial waiver under Title 49 of the United States Code for the operation of civil Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) at the Nevada Autonomous Test Site.

The FAA has approved the AVSS Means of Compliance (MOC) for Category 2 and Category 3 flight over people operations.

Drone Safety Day (DSD) is an annual campaign designed to educate  drone users of the importance of flying safely, inspiring fun drone activities and connecting a community of enthusiast.

Companies and agencies from all sectors are evaluating their risk: and deciding on the appropriate response.  Current regulations around the authorized use of counter drone technology may additionally complicate the situation.

The Drone Evaluation to Eliminate Cyber Threats Act of 2024 (DETECT Act) directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop a framework of cybersecurity principles.

The Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA) and the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) have released a reference document providing guidance to the commercial drone industry on staying compliant with the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) UAS Remote Identification (RID) Rule.

n September 2023, the FAA issued a policy for exercising discretion in determining whether to take enforcement action for drone operators who were not able to comply with the Remote ID rule. That policy ends on March 16, 2024. Operators who do not comply after that date could face fines and suspension or revocation of their drone pilot certificates.

A panel of FAA representative provide updates and insights for public safety and law enforcement drone community with updates on the B4UFly app, remote ID, and  along with fielded questions from the audience.

Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate versions of FAA reauthorization bills direct the agency to develop a UAV BLVOS notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) within 4-6 months of the legislation's passage, setting a path to adoption of a final rule within two years.

At the DRONERESPONDERS National Public Safety UAS Conference, Jeffrey Vincent, the Executive Director of the FAA's UAS Integration Office, spoke what is next for drone regulations – including a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for BVLOS flight by the end of this year.

Mark Bathrick, former U.S. Department of the Interior's Director of the Office of Aviation Services (OAS) spoke about the practical impact that the American Drone Security Act and proposed bans on Chinese made drone technology.

Approval to deploy up to three drones weighing more than 55 pounds simultaneously with a single pilot and without visual observers, which also allows for nighttime operations.

At the beginning it was a trickle of enthusiasts curious about this new uncrewed industry but as the years passed, we have seen an evolution in which the number of Part 107 pilots now exceeds holders of traditional commercial and ATP (Airline Transport Pilot) combined.

As both state and federal officials try to limit, if not outright ban, the use of Chinese-made drones by public service agencies, police departments and sheriff's offices in Texas have taken steps to ensure that those UAVs in their fleets do not present the security threat that ban advocates fear.

Prop E would ease the way for police drone use.  The discussion in San Francisco's media, however, has highlighted the drone industry's imperative to educate community leaders and lawmakers about what drones are good at – the de-escalation and better outcomes that most communities hope for.

As we delve into the winter of 2024, we would like to highlight pivotal developments, challenges, and implications shaping the landscape of commercial drone regulation from the FAA

The recent passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act through the US Senate Committee included some big news for recreational drone operators including greater access for recreational drone operators to controlled airspace, allowing flight beyond fixed flying sites, and a new process to request flights into controlled airspace from uncontrolled airspace. 

The FAA recently received the final recommendations from the UAS Detection and Mitigation Systems Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). This milestone follows the directive outlined in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 to address the safe integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Air Space (NAS).

While we've explored what it means to build a drone program, success with doing so always depends on the approach and industry. Those distinctions are especially evident in the public safety sector, where success isn't just about a given task or project, but also about policy, process and the general public.