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Policy
Policy
Congressional Hearing on the Significance of the Navy’s Unmanned Campaign Plan
The United States Armed Forces are a primary adopter of unmanned, or uncrewed, systems, and as a result AUVSI is actively engaged in supporting the development and deployment of autonomous technology among all military branches. Every facet of uncrewed systems – in the air, ground, and maritime domains – are used in our military, and the U.S. Department of the Navy in particular has strategically engaged with our industry.
Guest Post - What Airspace Management Should Look Like
On a clear day from my home in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the airspace above our heads has an unobstructed view to the southwest filled with a brilliant azure blue sky. As the sun begins to set in the west and the sky takes on a reddish hue, a choreographed dance of airplane contrails fills our view above 18,000’, with a series of long vapor trails clearly separated by the same horizontal distance. This is the evening departure flow from the metropolitan New York City Airports traveling along established navigable Jet Routes (J6, J48, Q430 and Q480) to destinations scattered across the southwest United States within Class A airspace.
AUVSI Applauds U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Campaign Framework
Media Contact: Jackie Beckwith, jbeckwith@auvsi.org
For Immediate Release: March 16, 2021
Arlington, Va. - Today, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) responded to the release of the U.S. Department of the Navy’s Unmanned Campaign Framework. The plan will guide the Navy’s execution toward its goal of increasing unmanned platforms in its fleet through the coming decade and its work with the unmanned vehicle systems industry.
Mitigating UAS Disruptions at Airports
An unmanned aerial vehicle spotted at the Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, NC on March 9 caused operational difficulties, delayed flights, and raised concerns of gaps in security. Law enforcement agencies are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the drone operator, with the FBI calling the incident an “illegal intrusion.” This is not the first time such an incident has occurred, and disruptions will likely continue to occur the federal government takes action to allow airports, and trained law enforcement, to detect and mitigate unauthorized UAS incursions.
Dep. Sec. Def. Hicks Highlights Importance of Autonomous Systems
Newly minted Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks has a bold vision for our nation’s military forces, and AUVSI has found many aspects of this new stance to celebrate.
A career civil servant with significant defense policy experience, she is our nation’s first female Deputy Secretary of Defense. Most important among her stated priorities include modernizing the country’s military forces, with an emphasis on autonomous systems and artificial intelligence.
Drone Federalism is the Wrong Move
A safe national airspace (NAS) is critical to American commerce, travel, and national security. The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has been directed by the U.S. Congress to control and actively manage our skies, which they have done admirably throughout the years. In fact, many nations look to American airspace management practices with envy, as our aviation record and dedication to safe skies speaks for itself.
Congratulations, Sec. Buttigieg!
Today, Pete Buttigieg was confirmed as Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT) and AUVSI extends our warmest congratulations as Mayor Pete becomes Secretary Buttigieg.
The unmanned systems industry is one that prizes innovation and holds safety as our number one priority. We are encouraged to see a similar mentality in our newest Transportation Secretary, as Buttigieg has been known to embody those values throughout his time as Mayor of South Bend, Indiana. In fact, the City is a member of AUVSI and joined our ranks under Mayor Pete’s leadership in 2018. That is not surprising to anyone who knows the 39-year-old former Navy intelligence officer – he has been on the record touting the benefits of autonomous systems in a variety of contexts.
Congratulations to General Austin on his Confirmation as U.S. Secretary of Defense
This morning, retired Army General Lloyd Austin was confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Defense, and AUVSI offers him and his family our warm congratulations.
Secretary Austin comes to the job with a very impressive resume, marked by several key accomplishments: he was the first Black commander of CENTCOM, the first Black Vice Chief of Staff for the Army, and is now the first Black Secretary of Defense. While serving in the Army, Sec. Austin led every Army formation from platoon-sized elements to a full combatant command, and as a brigadier general deployed to Iraq in 2003, he famously carried an M4 service rifle instead of the traditional general’s service weapon.
Good Drone News in the Empire State
Recently, Assembly Bill 1439 was introduced in the New York State Assembly with the goal of inserting language related to unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drones, into existing state vehicle and traffic laws. The bill’s sponsor is Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli, a Democrat from New York’s 129th Assembly District, and AUVSI applauds him for taking this important step.