Improving Americans’ lives: How Unmanned Aircraft Systems can help

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are coming soon to America’s skies. They will help firefighters extinguish forest fires; farmers get higher yields from their land; and search-and-rescue crews reach people in trouble.

In fact, in the next five years, as many as 7,500 UAS vehicles could be flying in America’s skies, according to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, who spoke at a recent event sponsored by the Aerospace Industries Association.

Some UAS vehicles are as small as a fist. Others fly as high as 60,000 feet. And all will be regulated under a set of safety and privacy rules now being developed by the FAA and other agencies. At the event, Administrator Huerta referenced a just-released roadmap for integrating UAS into America’s skies, a plan for safety recommendations, and privacy requirements for the six US test sites which will be chosen by the end of 2013. The sites will host tests of UAS vehicles for research and other purposes – and will gather data to be used in developing regulations.

Indeed, as regulations begin to address privacy concerns – and UAS use expands – AIA President and CEO Marion Blakey said she expects domestic support for UAS to grow, leading to an exciting and innovative next chapter for aviation in America.