Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao Addresses UAS Symposium, Asks Industry to Step Up

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao addressed the audience at the FAA’s UAS Symposium yesterday.  In taped remarks, the Chao told attendees that operations over people, night flight, and flight beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) were on the way.   While stakeholders are concerned about safety, Chao said that “this administration is actively working through these issues.”

Chao also said that the FAA’s UAS Pilot Program, which would allow state, local and tribal governments to request waivers for drone programs in their communities and provide the FAA with feedback that may inform regulations, had generated an “extremely gratifying” response from stakeholders.  The agency received 149 applications from a diverse group of stakeholders, and was “on track” to announce the first 10 participants in May.

The Secretary finished, however, with a warning.  “It’s no secret…that the public has legitimate concerns,” said Chao, asking the drone industry to “step up” in helping to educate the public and address their concerns over safety and privacy.

Miriam McNabb

Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry.  Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.

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