AUVSI to convene policymakers and industry as drone rules take shape

AUVSI will host its Drone & AAM Policy Symposium Nov. 9-10 at Nationals Park in Washington, bringing regulators, lawmakers and industry together as the FAA Reauthorization Act is implemented and new drone and advanced air mobility rules move forward. The agenda centers on BVLOS flight, certification, supply chain security, counter-UAS policy and how soon operators can scale.

Why it matters: - The next round of federal drone and advanced air mobility rules will shape how quickly U.S. operators can scale. - The symposium puts lawmakers, regulators and industry leaders in one room as the FAA Reauthorization Act is implemented and new Executive Orders take effect. - Policy decisions on BVLOS, certification, airspace coordination and supply chain security affect drones, advanced air mobility and defense uses.

What happened: - The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International will host the Drone & AAM Policy Symposium on Monday, Nov. 9 and Tuesday, Nov. 10 at Nationals Park. - AUVSI says the two-day forum is designed to connect officials shaping the national airspace with the companies and operators that depend on it. - Interim President and CEO Heather Lee said AUVSI is bringing policymakers and industry together to help guide strategy as the FAA Reauthorization Act is implemented and new Executive Orders are in effect.

The details: - Sessions will cover automated flight rules and air traffic modernization, including how crewed and uncrewed aircraft can share increasingly busy airspace. - Programming will examine what Part 108 and Part 146 mean for operators across industries. - Speakers will discuss industry reaction to NPRM 2209, which AUVSI describes as one of the most consequential proposed rules for large UAS operations. - Sessions will also address certifications and implementation under the FAA Reauthorization Act. - Supply chain security sessions will focus on NDAA compliance, the FCC Covered List and domestic manufacturing. - Featured government participants include Steven Haines, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Analysis; Hunter Deeley, chief of the FCC Enforcement Bureau; and Arpan Sura, senior counsel to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. - Public safety sessions will look at counter-UAS planning for major events, including the World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. - The program will also cover drone as first responder efforts and how those systems will share low-altitude airspace with commercial operators. - Steven Willoughby, executive director of the UAS/C-UAS Program Executive Office at the Department of Homeland Security, is scheduled to deliver remarks. - Rep. Dina Titus, co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus, will discuss congressional views on drone and AAM policy, including implementation of the FAA’s Part 108 BVLOS rule. - Sen. Peter Welch, lead Senate sponsor of the bipartisan Aviation Innovation and Global Competitiveness Act, will speak about making FAA certification faster and more predictable. - Additional participants will come from the Department of the Interior, USDA Forest Service, TSA, and the Ohio and Florida departments of transportation. - Industry and international speakers include Amazon Prime Air, BETA Technologies, Reliable Robotics, Southern Company, Skyports, Manna Air Delivery and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency.

Between the lines: - The agenda reflects a policy environment where drones and AAM are moving from concept to operational rules. - Security and supply chain issues are becoming as important as flight approvals for manufacturers and operators. - The presence of lawmakers and regulators suggests the industry wants to influence rulemaking before requirements are finalized. - AUVSI’s mix of civil, commercial, defense and public safety topics shows that drone policy is now cutting across multiple government missions.

What's next: - Attendees are expected to hear more about what FAA rules will require, when those rules may take effect and how stakeholders can comment before decisions are locked in. - AUVSI says credentialed media can register for access to keynotes, sessions and interviews with policymakers, regulators and industry leaders. - Heather Lee and Scott Shtofman will be available for interviews on-site or virtually before and after the event. - AUVSI Defense will run in the same venue Nov. 9-10, with defense, government and industry leaders discussing uncrewed systems and defense innovation. - The AUVSI Defense speaker lineup includes Sen. James Lankford, Rep. Rob Wittman, William Kimmitt and Col. Gregory Merkl, who will address the Army’s Drone Dominance initiative.

The bottom line: - The symposium is a timely policy check-in for an industry waiting on the federal rules that will determine how fast drone and advanced air mobility operations can grow in the U.S.