Transcripts For CSPAN Commercial Drones 20150328 : vimarsana

CSPAN Commercial Drones March 28, 2015

This has led to some interesting speculation about was the ship set up for attack by churchill or someone in the admiralty. I found no smoking memo. There was nothing from churchill to somebody in the admiral seel nothing like that exists. Sunday night at 8 00. Next, a Senate Hearing on commercial drones. When this representatives from the faa amazon. Com. Witnesses from the faa, amazon. Com. This hearing is just under two hours. Afterwards, we plan to open up the phone lines to get your feedback on the federal regulation of drones. Before i offer any opening statement, news is still coming in i want to a knowledge the tragedy in europe this morning. My thoughts go out to the friends and families of those affected. We will be monitoring this as the situation develops. I know all of us are very sad to hear about this tragedy. With that, i appreciate all of you being here today. I want to thank you because todays hearing represents the second of an active spring schedule, including hearings for the faa readministration effort as it expires in september of this year. For years, Unmanned Aircraft systems, sometimes called drones , have been identified with citing terrorism abroad. I have appreciated the important work of this technology in terms of protecting our country. Todays hearing is not about the military use of drones, but the commercial, recreational and public utilization of a new technology that represents much promise. There has been great interest in this technology and its potential on the home front. Unmanned aircraft have countless civil and public applications. They could assist in further precision and agricultural methods. They can conduct routine operations like utility line inspections that are expensive and sometimes dangerous when individuals do those on their own. They can enhance Law Enforcement in our home and security when used appropriately. They could empower creative filmmakers, enable faster newsgathering bring sports action even closer to viewers. They may save lives in search and rescue operations. There is a great deal of potential for Unmanned Aircraft in america and reports estimate that drone integration could yield tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs and tens of billions of dollars of Economic Impact positive Economic Impact. We want america to be the location of innovation, but at the same time, we have to look at this new technology and ability in balancing other we cannot sacrifice safety, privacy or prudent use of this new technology consistent with existing laws that we have in standards that we expect from people. These principles are not mutually exclusive. This hearing is an opportunity to learn more about how all of this fits together. We hear today, we have heard previously as i have scheduled this hearing from eager operators that are worried we are falling behind competing nations that integration has been slow. The ffa has granted dozens of exemptions allowing for the commercial use of Unmanned Systems and the list of those waiting in line is still long. However faa announced an interim policy to speed authorizations today and additionally best practices and opportunities for testing uaf technologies are incomplete. The faas designation test sites have potential that is yet to be fully realized. As with any new Technology Incorporation requires thoughtful work and caution , particularly when it involves our National Airspace system. The most complex Aviation System in the world there is Great Potential here but it must be managed correctly. The faas proposed rule published last month is a meaningful step in that direction. Access is expanded by the proposed restrictions would not throw open the door unfettered to the use of Unmanned Systems. Potential operators may be disappointed by limitations imposed by this proposed rule. However it is important that this rule is designed to be the next step and that faa is looking ahead to identify future areas to enable uafs usage. At any stage of uaf integration a primary consideration has to be safety. We have all seen reports of uafs being flown recklessly either near commercial aircraft including the airport i regularly use in manchester, New Hampshire and in dangerous proximity to people are landing in sensitive areas like we heard, the white house lawn. No doubt is this fledgling industry expands, there will be more growing pains but thoughtful policymaking and industry action can ensure the lowest risk to people and property. In addition to safety rules is important to have an ongoing dialogue about how Unmanned Aircraft will impact our lives and expectations. In furtherance of that objection administration is engaging , stakeholders consider best practices to address issues of privacy transparency and accountability. There is no easy cure all, but having concerned parties at the table developing ways to respect these considerations while enabling utilization of the potentially Transformative Technology is a worthy endeavor. Mr. Morris from ntia is here to provide information on this multistakeholder process. Its no surprise and i think we can all understand that one of the primary concerns that people have about the use of these Unmanned Systems is privacy. Unlimited surveillance by government or private actors is not something that our society is ready or willing or should accept. Because you a ask can significantly lower the threshold of while there are existing legal frameworks that can respond to some of these concerns, their application to Unmanned Aircraft pushes the boundaries and requires more analysis. Edward to hearing from all of you i look forward to hearing from all of you. We have other means, where people are using telephoto lenses to allow observation at great distances and other means of technology to observe people. Today, we want to hear about how we can best address the privacy concerns with Unmanned Systems. This hearing is a chance to explore many of these important questions and i look forward to hearing the testimony today as well as the comments of my colleagues. I want to thank my Ranking Member senator cantwell and turn , it over to her. Maria cantwell thank you, madam chair. I would like to start by offering my condolences to the loved ones of passengers and crew from flight 95. Our flight 9525. Our thoughts and our thoughts and prayers are with them in this incredible tragedy. I would like to welcome our Witnesses Today and thank them for testifying on such an important subject as Unmanned Aircraft systems and certainly appreciate the depth and breadth of the expertise that is represented on this panel today. I look forward to hearing what each of you have to say about this area and am reminded that it was 2 faa bill discussions ago we had similar discussions about defense and other applications related to the faa and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. At that time a Small Company in my state was trying to figure out how to move forward in cooperation with the faa, and today that company has more than 800 people. This industry has continued to grow, and we are here to talk about the integration of Unmanned Systems that require a balance between the safety of our skies which we cannot and will not compromise and the many possibilities enabled by Unmanned Systems such as fighting wildfires, inspecting bridges, railroads, pipelines, aiding farmers the monitoring of borders to more simply delivering something as important as a new Seattle Seahawks jersey. We have heard from constituents and local businesses about integrated solutions to existing problems while a wants to develop knew markets using unmanned aerial system technology. Unfortunately many of us have heard that they have had to move testing overseas and were unable to receive the appropriate permission from us regulators in a timely fashion. American engineers and manufactures will lead the way if we give them the opportunity, and i hope this panel can take the input and help us move forward on how to do that. The small unmanned system rule proposed by the faa in february is an important step forward but Technological Advancement will not slow down as we determine how to address the new a set of challenges. For the most part these challenges come in maintaining the safety of airspace, the safety of people and property on the ground. The faa includes a robust analysis of commercial unmanned aerial systems, cost benefits, concerns. There are issues there that remain about noncommercial users in the recreational community. The number of pilots reporting near misses with these Unmanned Systems around airports at altitudes well above 400 feet speaks to the existing problem which will only grow as Technology Becomes more available. It is something i am this approach which changed the paradigm of aviation which has relied on selfregulation by pilots. It is something im sure will be exploited today. Also good news for safety be his Unmanned Systems have the potential to save lives. Inspecting powerlines or assessing damage after a fire could all be aided by these technology solutions. According to the department of labor 4400 workers died on the job in 2013. Not all could have been prevented by Unmanned Systems, but we have a responsibility to continue to improve worker safety, and some tasks could be performed in other ways. Many of the commercial Unmanned Systems that the faa has already approved our four are for uses that promote worker safety. The faa just advanced an interim policy, a blanket certification of section 333, would streamline the process so that 200 85 below 200 feet would be an easier process for people to proceed with technology. I applaud the faa. While we await a final unmanned system role which i am not sure rule which i am not sure exactly how long it will take. I am sure there will be questions. I want to make sure were keeping that timeframe in mind. I do think that American Companies are faced with competitive disadvantages because of the slow pace of regulation. Several governments across the world are working handinhand with commercial unmanned system operators to find solutions were where businesses can thrive with existing new technology and maintain the safety of airspace while operating. Another subject that i like forward to look forward to discussing is the issue of privacy, including how this new technology will fit into existing privacy laws and how we can protect private citizens and businesses from this unwanted surveillance. So this is intertwined with larger discussions about Data Protection and security i hope that we will be able to address these issues today. The the chairwoman and i are working together with the chairman of the full community. And Ranking Member nelson. I hope we can continue to move these bills forward. Kelly a. Ayotte i want to thank senator cantwell and most of all welcome our panel of Witnesses Today and thank you for being here and for taking the time to taking the time to talk about this important topic before this committee. First i want to welcome Margaret Gilligan . She is the associate administrator for safety at the federal Aviation Administration. Margaret gilligan i would like to thank the chair and Ranking Member before beginning my testimony i would like to express my condolences. We are we are standing by to assist in the investigation to assist in any way we can. We are here today to discuss the safe integration of Unmanned Aircraft systems or aus. To the National Airspace system as technology continues to advance the challenge is to develop a Regulatory Framework. Since the reauthorization act we have made progress. We have learned a lot along the way. The faa put together a conference of plan and road drop roadmap. We have an aggressive Research Program that leverages the assets of partners and industry to overcome the largest barriers to you asn integration such as detection and avoid technology. The six test sites we selected are fully operational and have established the research agendas. The Technical Center is receiving data from test sites that will help answer key questions about how Unmanned Aircraft can interface with airtraffic control. The tech center is working closely to identify data it will be most useful. To facilitate commercial integration, we have issued over 60 exemptions under section 333. These operations these operations do not pose a risk to others operating, the general public, or National Security and can be safely conducted by ua s. We have learned a lot and are working hard to increase efficiency and decrease processing time. It also issued certificates so they will be able to conduct flights for commercial purposes. We have issued 176 airworthiness for civil you a s uas operations, 34 of which are active today. These approvals facilitate research and development, crew training, and market surveys. Last month we proposed a rule that would allow routine use without an airworthiness certificate. The proposed rule would cover many potential small uas operation and offer a flexible framework for the safe use of systems while accommodating future innovation. With this proposal the United States would have one of the most flexible frameworks in the world. As uas operations increase we are reaching out to educate the public on the safe and responsible use of uas. They provided guidance on the dos and donts of safe operation. We have partnered with members of the industry and Modeling Community to initiate the know before you fly campaign for safe and responsible uas operation. The faa are also working to position Law Enforcement to deter, detect, investigate, and report unauthorized operations. Our 1st action is to educate you auas operators about compliance, when appropriate we will and have use administrative or legal enforcement action. It is a top priority for the faa. We are looking beyond that rulemaking to identify additional types of operations and what technologies we may need to certify. We have consulted with the Rulemaking Committee for enabling with the highest societal benefits. These we will result in an additional focus areas that will become the plans for integration. We must ensure resources are directed to areas with the highest safety risk. We will need to expand collaborative data driven processes with the uas industry to improve safety and streamline certification. We are developing a knew new advisory circular to inform the industry how to use riskbased decisionmaking to establish certification criteria which is essential for enabling the potential for larger uas for operation. The faa is safely and steadily integrating uas and we continue to look to the future to make sure the proper framework and standards are in place to facilitate safely integrating. Safe integration in an increasingly complex airspace. We look forward to continuing to work with partners in government, the Aviation Community and this committee. This concludes my statement and i look forward to answering your questions. Kelly a. Ayotte thank you very much. I would like to introduce mr. John morris junior, the associate administrator for the office of policy analysis and development at the National Telecommunications administration. Thank you for being here. [inaudible] john b. Morris jr. on. Okay. Lets start over. Chairman, Ranking Member members of the subcommittee, thank you for the ability to testify. The use of commercial and private Unmanned Aircraft systems, or uas. Ntia, our focus is not on the Aircraft Systems but on increasing Broadband Access and adoption and expanding opportunities and ensuring the internet remains an engine for continued innovation and Economic Growth. Increasingly internet policy work has focused on enhancing Consumer Privacy in order to strengthen the trust and consumer adoption of new and evolving technologies. The Critical Development is through the multi stakeholder approach. In this model stakeholders Work Together to reach consensus on best practices and codes of conduct that can be implemented in the marketplace. Stakeholders can include private industry, consumer groups, academics, and others with an interest. The hallmark of these processes are open are that they are open and consensusbased. We are not a regulator in this area and do not substitute our judgment for those of the stakeholders. We have used and are using the multistakeholder approach and al

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