Cramer: Congressional Caucus Meets with FAA on UAS Development

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congressman Kevin Cramer, a member of the Unmanned Systems Caucus, said a briefing on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) integration into the national airspace and test site selection gave positive signs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is moving forward with a plan to name sites by the end of the year. The Caucus briefing held Tuesday included Jim Williams, manager of the FAA UAS Integration Office, Dr. Karlin Toner, Director of the Joint Planning and Development Office, and Carlos Siso, Office of the Chief Counsel. 

Topics of discussion included the recently released UAS Integration Roadmap, UAS Comprehensive Plan, and final privacy policy for test sites. Cramer said he believes Grand Forks is a prime test site candidate because of its infrastructure, community support and diverse economy, climate, and geography. 

“The Grand Forks region is perfectly positioned to be a hub for UAS research, a field which continues to expand at a swift pace as private sector companies like Amazon explore future uses for unmanned aircraft,” said Cramer. “The participation of the FAA in this Caucus meeting was encouraging. The agency is on track to announce six test sites by year-end, with at least one of them required by law to be operational within 180 days. The FAA said their staff will review and approve the individual selected test site operators’ plans and policies site-by-site before they can become operational. With all the excellent work North Dakotans are putting into this, Grand Forks should be in a strong position to move quickly through this approval process.”

Cramer is directly involved with UAS development through his appointment on the Science, Space, and Technology Committee and his membership on the Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus, and continues to advocate for North Dakota’s selection as a UAS test site.