AUVSI fully supports federal authority of the airspace and opposes state bills that would give states and/or local government the ability to regulate drones. A patchwork of 50 states with 50 different sets of rules would be a disaster for industry, weakening strong federal safety standards and imposing tremendous costs on consumers and drone operators. 

Local support, including from AUVSI’s chapters, is critical in our efforts to advocate for reasonable regulation, provide educational resources to lawmakers, and promote a culture of safety among the industry. Leadership from AUVSI’s Lone Star Chapter in Texas and Pelican Chapter in Louisiana were instrumental in ensuring the concerns of drone operators in the state were shared with local lawmakers.

AUVSI is also grateful for the support of local lawmakers who take the time to understand the issues impacting the drone industry. Mississippi Senator Brice Wiggins and Louisiana Representative Ray Crews helped to educate their colleagues, ensuring that their states did not pass legislation that would write them out of the future of UAS operations before the technology has an opportunity to develop.

In preparation for next year’s state legislative sessions, AUVSI will continue to build on partnerships and coalitions to educate more lawmakers about how they can support the burgeoning UAS industry as it continues to develop and scale in their states. AUVSI members who wish to learn more about state advocacy efforts can contact Mike Smitsky, msmitksy@auvsi.org.