Consumer Electronics Group Applauds FAA Reauthorization Legislation

The Consumer Technology Association, a trade group representing the $351 billion U.S. consumer technology industry, is backing recently proposed FAA Reauthorization legislation for UAS.

As noted by DroneLife Editor-in-Chief Miriam McNabb, “the proposed Repeal of Section 336, the Integration Pilot Program, the “Safeguarding the Skies” Act, the enforcement of drone laws and the timeline for drone integration are all addressed in the bill.”

“The UAS title in this bill helps clear the way for the FAA to implement beyond-line-of-sight, flight-over-people and nighttime drone operations, which our nation needs to fully realize the benefits of drone technology,” CTA president and CEO Gary Shapiro said.

“The UAS title also outlines ways consumers may fly their drones responsibly without being grounded by unreasonable rules. The drone portion of this bill provides a boost of clarity and confidence to this growing sector of the tech industry, and we look forward to swift passage by the House and Senate.”

CTA vice president of technology policy Douglas Johnson is a member of the U.S. FAA’s Drone Advisory Committee Subcommittee and former UAS Registration Task Force, Micro UAS Aviation Rulemaking Committee and UAS Identification and Tracking Aviation Rulemaking Committee.

Speaking on the topic of the FAA’s UAS Integration Pilot Program back in May, Johnson noted:

“We know drones can provide a safer, more efficient and environmentally-sustainable way of conducting a wide range of tasks and are often a very local technology in their application. The IPP is a laudable, technology-forward initiative that will strengthen our understanding of the practical and policy issues related to drones and their many beneficial use cases.”

“We’re working with state, local, and tribal governments and private industry to demonstrate and study expanded drone operations,” said Acting FAA Administrator Dan Elwell in an August statement about the IPP. “This program gives us a better understanding of how operations over people, beyond visual line of sight ops, and flying drones at night work at the local level.”

The latest CTA Consumer Technology Sales and Forecasts Report shows consumer drones are one of the fastest growing product categories for the U.S. tech industry with total sales expected to reach over $1 billion in revenue this year. CTA’s membership includes both commercial and recreational U.S. drone companies.