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Cooperative Federalism and Low-Altitude Drone Operations

Authors:Jason Snead and John-Michael Seibler

 SUMMARY

Bipartisan measures have been introduced in the House and Senate proposing a cooperative-federalism approach to the regulation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Specifically, below 200 feet in altitude, state, local, and tribal authorities could reasonably regulate the time, manner, and place of drone operation. This authority would permit local governance of low-altitude drone activity in a manner similar to traffic management. President Donald Trump has also signed a presidential memorandum establishing pilot programs for commercial drone operations that would require the participation of state and local authorities. Congress should reject overblown concerns about a regulatory “patchwork” and adopt a cooperative-federalism approach that leverages the unique competencies of state, local, and federal officials to foster a competitive, safe, and innovative drone industry.

Full article: http://www.heritage.org/government-regulation/report/cooperative-federalism-and-low-altitude-drone-operations?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=thf-fb

 

Super Bowl LI is a No Drone Zone

 

FAA video:

 

Texas A&M building $150 million research campus on old air base

Texas A&M University is spending an estimated $150 million to build a 2,000-acre research and education campus just west of its College Station location. Officials released these renderings on May 2, 2017.

Texas A&M will spend $150 million building a 2,000-acre research park and education center on an old air base just west of its main campus between Houston and Austin, college officials announced Monday.  University officials are planning to entice private companies specializing in robotics, autonomous vehicles, chemical safety to set up research and development operations in the research park to get new products ready for the commercial marketplace. For example, the research campus hopefully will be a place to test driverless cars, drones and other autonomous vehicles, university officials said.

Full article: http://m.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Texas-A-M-building-research-campus-on-old-air-base-7387778.php

Texas A&M develops smartphone-enabled lab-on-drone technology

For the first time, a robust, low-cost and portable technology deployed using drones can be used to monitor and control infectious disease outbreaks in remote locations, says Texas A&M University researcher, Dr. Victor Ugaz, who has built the instrument. By eliminating the need for samples collected in the field to be transported to distant laboratories for analysis by specialized personnel, this instrument can accelerate diagnosis, enable pinpoint delivery of therapeutics and help provide real-time data to better inform decision making.

The lab-on-a-drone technology not only transports medical test kits and samples to and from areas that have limited or no access to a lab infrastructure, it also can perform the diagnostic tests during flight, according to Ugaz, professor, holder of the Charles D. Holland ’53 Professorship and the Thaman Professorship, associate department head in Texas A&M’s Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering.

Full article: http://engineering.tamu.edu/news/2016/04/26/texas-am-develops-smartphone-enabled-lab-on-drone-technology

 

Move to OK commercial drone flights over people

WASHINGTON (AP) — A government-sponsored committee is recommending standards that could clear the way for commercial drone flights over populated areas and help speed the introduction of package delivery drones and other uses not yet possible, The Associated Press has learned.

The Federal Aviation Administration currently prohibits most commercial drone flights over populated areas, especially crowds. That ban frustrates a host of industries that want to take advantage of the technology.

"Every TV station in the country wants one, but they can't be limited to flying in the middle of nowhere because there's no news in the middle of nowhere," said Jim Williams, a former head of FAA's drone office who now advises the industry for Dentons, athn international law firm.

 

Cellular network providers also want to loosen restrictions so drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, can inspect cell towers, which often are in urban areas. Amazon's vision for package deliveries entails drones winging their way over city and suburban neighborhoods.

Full article: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/f23e06137ac1406eaa16342ebb772c6f/apnewsbreak-move-ok-commercial-drone-flights-over-people