Arlington, Va. – Today, the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), applauded the publication of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) report. The report sets the stage for the FAA to begin its process to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that will significantly advance the uncrewed systems industry, including drones and advanced air mobility (AAM), while also maintaining the highest levels of aviation safety for all airspace users.
“By adhering to a transparent and deliberative process, the ARC put forward a safety focused plan to welcome new users into the airspace and foster innovation,” said AUVSI President and CEO Brian Wynne, a member of the BVLOS ARC. “ARC members set out to simultaneously raise the standard of safety in the airspace to unprecedented levels and unlock new benefits of aviation, and this report accomplishes that goal and should be applauded by all aviation stakeholders.”
With an increasing number of industries relying on drones for their operations – and significant growth expected in the AAM industry in the years ahead – the uncrewed systems industry broadly agrees that enabling routine operations BVLOS is critical for high-value uses. Examples include infrastructure inspections, medical supply and package delivery, public safety missions, wildfire mitigation and disaster response, wireless internet and cell connectivity, agriculture surveying, and more.
Michael Robbins, Executive Vice President of Government and Public Affairs at AUVSI, said: “Commercial drone operations provide essential services to the American public, including delivering life-saving medicines and conducting critical infrastructure inspection.” He added: “To fully realize these benefits, the FAA must continue to the momentum of the BVLOS ARC Report by advancing a rulemaking process and updating the regulatory framework to provide a pathway for these operations – and the economic, societal, workforce, and environmental benefits that will follow.”
