AUVSI Statement on FAA’s Move to Consider UAS Exemption for Film, Television Industry

2 June 2014



The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced that it will
consider exemptions for the film and television industry to use unmanned
aircraft systems (UAS) before the small UAS rulemaking is complete. In
response to the news, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems
International (AUVSI) President & CEO Michael Toscano released the
following statement: 

 

“AUVSI applauds the FAA for taking this important first step toward
expediting the approval of certain low-risk commercial applications of
UAS. The film and television production industry has safely and
effectively used UAS technology abroad, and could do the same
domestically. UAS have filmed scenes for Hollywood movies, such as the
latest James Bond film, ‘Skyfall.’

 

“However, the FAA can and must do more. Congress gave the FAA broad
authority to allow for commercial UAS activities before rulemaking is
complete and we want the FAA to immediately create a registration,
training, and approval process for small UAS that only weigh a few
pounds and pose minimal risk. We should be taking advantage of the
tremendous potential of UAS in certain low-risk areas, such as rural
farms, around power lines, and around flare stacks today. Accelerating
these uses will not only help businesses harness the tremendous
potential of UAS, they will also help unlock the economic impact and job
creation potential of the technology.”

 

An economic impact study
from AUVSI found that the UAS industry is projected to create more than
100,000 jobs and $82 billion in economic impact nationwide in the first
decade after integration is complete. 

 

Waivers are currently only available for public entities to fly UAS, but
FAA Manager of UAS Integration Jim Williams announced in May that the
FAA would begin working with industries to expedite limited commercial
uses of the technology. William’s announcement last month came on the
heels of an April 2014 letter to the FAA in which AUVSI and the Academy
of Model Aeronautics (AMA) joined 31 other organizations encouraging the
agency to expedite the rulemaking process for UAS. The letter also
called on the FAA to allow the limited uses of small UAS for commercial
purposes before the final rulemaking is completed.