House Small Business Hearing Addresses Drone Industry Issues
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Today, the House Committee on Small Business held a hearing addressing the landscape of UAS use by small businesses, which is currently mired by lagging federal regulations, according to those who testified.
AUVSI President and CEO Brian Wynne said though the applications for UAS are “virtually limitless,” it’s unacceptable that small businesses have to wait to get an exemption to the current UAS rules by the Federal Aviation Administration to operate legally.
“This current system of case-by-case approvals — whether streamlined or not — isn’t a long-term solution for the many small businesses waiting to fly,” he said in a prepared testimony.
Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.) pressed Wynne on the spate of operators sidestepping the exemption process and illegally using UAS for commercial operations, which she said poses a risk to public safety.
Wynne speculated that many of the rogue operators are unaware Realtors simply looking to take one new shot of a property. However, he said they need to respect the law.
“I think it would be very appropriate for the FAA to enforce the rules. … It’s very difficult to do that at this stage of the game, which is why we’re asking the FAA to finalize these rules very quickly,” he said.
The panel also included small business operators. Brian Streem, CEO of AeroCine — a legal UAS film business — expressed concern the United States will fall behind in small business use of drones.
“Unfortunately, this worldwide phenomenon is at jeopardy here at home in the United States due to the current state of regulation that prohibits commercial operations absent an exception,” he said.
The called the task to gain access to airspace “onerous” and “bureaucratic,” yet still does “little to enhance safety.”
Michael Gilkey, CEO of 3D Aerial Solutions, echoed Streems’ sentiments.
“Small business people like me are slugging their way through the obstacles and bureaucracy to fulfill our dreams of creating this new industry,” he said in his testimony.
He also said he’d like to see the FAA take a risk-based approach to regulations. For instance, Wilkey doesn’t believe that micro UAS — systems weighing less than 4.4 pounds — should be held to the same risk standards as larger aircraft.
In addition to a difficult federal regulatory process, Gilkey said he was concerned about state regulations that keep popping up that are limiting the use of UAS. He said these disparate regulations are going to create a situation of “have and have nots,” where some areas won’t allow small businesses to flourish.
To read Wynne's testimony, click here.
