CDA Becomes Member of UAS Detection and Mitigation Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC)

UASWeekly.com

The Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA), an independent 501c6 non-profit organization led by key members of the commercial drone industry, today announced that Executive Director Lisa Ellman has joined the Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Detection and Mitigation Systems Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC). Ellman will represent the CDA and assist the ARC in providing recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on how to integrate counter-UAS (CUAS) systems across the U.S. while preserving the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS). Ellman will co-lead the ARC’s Working Group I, “Wider Ecosystem and Public Interests,” which will explore societal interests in expanding integration of CUAS systems.

The safety, security, efficiency, sustainability, and equity benefits of commercial drones are significant, and UAS are already enhancing lives in communities around the world. However, here in the U.S., policymaking has lagged behind technology. The CDA has worked for years with federal government officials, industry stakeholders, and others to promote solutions that enable the safe and secure integration of UAS into the NAS.

The CDA appreciates the common interest that the government, industry, and the public all share in protecting against potential public safety and homeland security threats posed by rogue or unauthorized UAS. Indeed, the CDA considers innovation and security as two sides of the same coin.

In this spirit, the CDA is pleased to support the critical work of the CUAS ARC. The ARC provides a forum for the U.S. aviation community and UAS security stakeholders to collaborate on a NAS-wide plan for certification, permitting, authorizing, or allowing of the deployment of technologies or systems for the detection and mitigation of UAS. It will also identify opportunities for new rulemaking and internal policy and guidance development to ensure adequate FAA oversight. CDA members Amazon Prime Air, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Dedrone, DroneResponders, Florida Power & Light, Hidden Level, Honeywell, NUAIR, SkySafe, Skydio, and Wing have also been invited to participate in this critical process.

“Full integration of drones into the National Airspace System is necessary for the United States to fully realize the significant life-saving, economic, and societal benefits of commercial drones,” said Lisa Ellman, CDA’s Executive Director. “As the drone industry works with the federal government to scale operations across the country, security concerns related to the potential misuse of the technology must also be addressed. I’m honored to represent the CDA and look forward to working closely with the other members of the ARC to recommend counter-UAS policies that will help usher in the next era of advanced aviation.”

About the Commercial Drone Alliance

The Commercial Drone Alliance is an independent non-profit organization led by key leaders in the commercial drone and advanced air mobility industries. The CDA brings together commercial drone end-users, manufacturers, service providers, advanced air mobility companies, drone security companies, and vertical markets, including oil and gas, precision agriculture, construction, security, communications technology, infrastructure, newsgathering, and filmmaking. The CDA works with all levels of government to collaborate on policies for industry growth and seeks to educate the public on the safe and responsible use of commercial drones to achieve economic benefits and humanitarian gains.

Learn more at www.commercialdronealliance.org.