This week, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a hearing with U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg to understand the Biden Administration’s priorities on infrastructure. Major topics included the current and forecasted regulatory regime, how to effectively engage industry, and steps the federal government should take to continue fostering innovation.  While legislators did not delve deeply into unmanned systems specifically, we know that Secretary Buttigieg comes to DOT with a proven track record on autonomous systems and we look forward to engaging with his staff on our issues in the near future.

Here are our top highlights for the unmanned industry from Thursday’s hearing:
 
Support for regulatory updates & unmanned vehicle systems technology
It is clear that Secretary Buttigieg values innovation and understands the pressing need to update regulatory frameworks that have not kept pace with rapidly-evolving technology. During the hearing, he stated his belief that, “The biggest thing that we need to do is establish safety and establish certainty for industry.”

The Secretary also called on Congress to adjust statutory authorities in a way that enables DOT to better keep pace with changes in the autonomous vehicle landscape. AUVSI will closely monitor progress and proactive engage with DOT in this space to ensure federal policy supports the safe deployment and integration of autonomous vehicles onto our nation’s roadways.

During the hearing, two members of the Committee, Representative Bob Gibbs and Representative Garret Graves, the Ranking Member on the Committee’s Aviation Subcommittee and the co-chair of the House Unmanned Systems Caucus, both brought up unmanned systems technologies. AUVSI applauds the two Congresspersons for their attention to our innovative and growing industry.
 
Engagement with the NETT Council
Secretary Buttigieg stated that he will engage with the Non-Traditional and Emerging Transportation Technology (NETT) Council, an internal deliberative body at DOT tasked with identifying regulatory gaps that impede new technology, including autonomous vehicles. In December 2020, the Department expanded the Council’s focus by launching a new working group on Advanced and Urban Aerial Mobility, where participants will explore resolutions to regulatory and operational restraints in order to move AUAM adoption forward.

In addition to the NETT Council, AUVSI also hopes to see Secretary Buttigieg engage with and support funding for the recently established Highly Automated Systems Safety (HASS) Center of Excellence (COE). Recognizing that regulation of unmanned systems cannot be conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration alone, HASS COE serves as a central repository within DOT for expertise in unmanned systems and AI technology. Secretary Buttigieg stated that, “The national airspace may not be as tangible as roads and bridges, but it is part of our infrastructure.” Continued support for HASS COE will ensure USDOT is prepared to incorporate aerial perspectives and expertise in its infrastructure planning and regulations.
 
Ongoing collaboration
As the Secretary highlighted in his opening remarks, DOT has the opportunity to “make a generational investment in infrastructure that will help us meet our country’s most pressing challenges today and create a stronger future for decades to come.”

By working closely with industry, Secretary Buttigieg can ensure this investment enables unmanned technologies to flourish – both from a regulatory standpoint and for end users. AUVSI will continue to support these conversations, collaborate with partners, and keep our members updated on regulatory changes throughout Secretary Buttigieg’s leadership of the Department.