Last week, Max Rosen, Director of Government Affairs for AUVSI, attended the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) International Aviation Safety Conference in Washington, DC. Several AUVSI and Air Advocacy Committee members were in attendance, alongside many senior officials from both FAA and EASA. The event was sponsored by AUVSI and members RTX, Boeing, Joby, and Wisk. 

As April ends, several state legislatures have adjourned for the remainder of the session. Due to elections, sessions in even-numbered years are often shorter than those in odd-numbered ones. Eight states adjourned this month, bringing the total to nineteen states already adjourned for their 2024 regular sessions.   What We’re Seeing  With the legislative sessions winding down, we saw fewer new bills introduced and began to see more bills enacted into law. This includes forward leaning enabling legislation for both air and ground vehicles: 

A revolution of more connected communities, infrastructure investment, and job growth is poised to take place nationwide with Florida at the lead. Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) is a quickly developing industry in the state and will offer crucial services to Floridians and their businesses.   Florida has consistently been on the forefront of technological innovation, and this has been no different for AAM. Many companies leading the development of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are targeting Florida for early implementation of this new form of aerial transportation.  

March is "R&D to Real World Operations" month on the Dawn of Autonomy podcast, and we're thrilled to begin with our month sponsor, the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO). This week’s show features James Grimsley, CNO’s Executive Director of Advanced Technology Initiatives. James is a distinguished figure in the field of advanced aviation and aerial mobility, renowned for his expertise in policy and technology, with a notable presence in national and international forums as a speaker and contributor to state and federal task groups. He has played key roles in various committees and advisory councils, contributing significantly to the drone industry through initiatives like the FAA’s Drone Integration Pilot Program (IPP) and BEYOND Programs.