Washington, D.C. – Congressman Steve Austria (R–Beavercreek) and other members of the Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus met with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to discuss the FAA’s progress towards integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS).

Earlier this year Congress passed legislation that requires the FAA to establish six test ranges for integrating UAS into the NAS for five years. Congressman Austria worked with Senator Portman and other colleagues to secure language that requires the FAA to consider the location of ground infrastructure and research needs in awarding these test sites.  Under the law the FAA must establish a program to integrate UAS into the NAS by August 2012.

The FAA told Congressman Austria that they will release a Request for Comment this Friday to seek public comment regarding the criteria for the integration for UAS airspace into the NAS.  These comments will be a key part in developing a formal Request for Proposal in July for those organizations that plan to compete for one of the six test sites.  The FAA then plans to complete the selection of test sites in December of this year.

At this meeting, Congressman Austria highlighted the UAS research, testing, and training being conducted in the Dayton Region and questioned the FAA on how the agency plans to implement the UAS test ranges. “UAS airspace continues to be a tremendous priority for the Miami Valley region as it could possibly bring hundreds – or even thousands – of new and sustainable jobs to our region and state. The Dayton region is at the forefront of UAS research and development, and given the opportunity to compete for this highly desired airspace, the region will be well-positioned to attract UAS manufacturers and businesses to Ohio,” Congressman Austria said.

The Wright Patterson Air Force Base area and the Springfield National Guard Base have been working with the FAA to obtain airspace to test fly Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) used by the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security. Having the necessary airspace to test fly UAVs is critical to the research and development that takes place at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), for numerous private-sector employers, and local universities.  

The Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus was created to educate the members of Congress and the public on the strategic, tactical, and scientific value of unmanned systems. The caucus is composed of a bipartisan group of House members that are committed to the growth and expansion of these UAS in all sectors.  Congressman Austria is one of the founding members of the Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus.

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