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The release of the Federal Aviation Administration’s small UAS rule is a good first step toward boosting the growth of the unmanned systems industry, but it remains to be seen how fast and flexible the rules’ waiver provisions will be, several industry representatives told members of Congress on Tuesday.

AUVSI President and CEO Brian Wynne noted that AUVSI’s economic forecast calls for more than 100,000 new jobs and $82 billion in economic impact in the first decade following the rule, and he added, “after witnessing the growth of the industry over the last few years and now with the small UAS rule in effect, I am confident those figures will be even higher.”

Wynne and other industry representatives testified before the Small Business Committee’s subcommittee on investigations, oversight and regulations, whose chairman, Rep. Cresent Hardy (R-Nevada), said he wanted to know how the small UAS rule is impacting businesses and their future plans.

Gabriel Dobbs, vice president of business development and policy at drone startup Kespry, said the rule, also known as Part 107, is “a huge improvement” over the previous exemption process used by the FAA.

However, he said it’s not clear whether the waiver process will be sufficiently speedy at the FAA, and said a micro UAS classification, which would allow virtually unrestricted flights of very small system, should have been included in the rule.

Wynne said that the recent FAA budget extension passed by Congress includes a call for the creation of a comprehensive UAS research and development roadmap, and also extends the exemption process to allow for beyond-line-of-sight operations.

“While this measure will provide some short-term stability through September 2017, it is critical that Congress pass a long-term bill next year that will set the industry and the country on a glide path to reap all the benefits of UAS,” Wynne said.

Hill Day

The hearing came as AUVSI was hosting its latest and largest Hill Day, where members can set up meetings with their lawmakers and staff to discuss issues important to the industry.

Two lawmakers spoke during the event’s luncheon, both co-chairs of the House Unmanned Systems Caucus — Reps. Joe Heck (R-Nevada) and Dan Lipinski (D-Illinois).

Heck, who has also served as a volunteer firefighter, ambulance attendant, search and rescue team member and SWAT physician, said unmanned systems can be crucial in aiding with such work. His state is home to “world-class” sandstone climbing, he said, but some don’t have the proper skills and have to be rescued.

With unmanned aircraft, “we can actually find the victims much sooner, safer, and at a lower cost,” since manned helicopters don’t have to be used.

Lipinski said the FAA has been moving faster in recent years, but that change needs to continue to keep the industry growing.

“Safety has to come first, but that does not mean we need to put up barriers,” he said.

Echoing the comments made at the hearing, Heck said the small UAS rule is a good “baby step,” but said, “we’ve got to rapidly evolve.”

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