On 5 May the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) issued a Federal Register notice requesting comments on proposed revisions to Category XII of the U.S. Munitions List (USML) via amendments to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) aimed at restricting light detection and ranging.

 

AUVSI Advocacy Committee members expressed concerns that the revision will move certain lidar systems which could be used on a number of unmanned systems from the Department of Commerce (EAR) export list to the Department of State (ITAR) list (which is way more restrictive).  AUVSI respectfully recommended:

 

1. the DDTC revise the note to (b)(6) to ensure that a broader category of “civil vehicle applications” are excluded from control under (b)(6).  Such a revision would help to ensure that the reform of Category XII’s does not retard the development of critical LIDAR and related safety systems for civil unmanned vehicles (and manned vehicles with autonomous and pilot-assist systems)

2. the current proposed 200 meter range limitation in the note to (b)(6) be expanded to 1,500 meters to accommodate LIDAR and related systems that are deployed for collision avoidance and other safety applications in civil UAVs.

 

AUVSI’s comments were filed on 1 July and you can read the comments here.