With drones entering the airspace at a faster rate than ever before, state and local lawmakers are seeking to learn more about theses systems and how they will impact their districts. AUVSI supports regulations that are technology-agnostic, foster innovation, and allow for the responsible, lawful, and secure use of drones and other uncrewed systems. 
 
One of AUVSI’s most concerted advocacy pushes so far this year has been in West Virginia, where HB 4667 was signed into law this week. The original bill, SB5 was introduced with harmful avigation easement language. Avigation easement proposals seek to dismantle federal authority of the airspace, restrict drone operations, and upend years of industry-government collaboration toward unlocking the full potential of drone technology. 
 
One of AUVSI’s guiding advocacy pillars is to support the opening of markets, reduction of barriers, and injection of more certainty and predictability into drone operations and marketplace. To that end, our Advocacy work supports legislation that recognize federal authority of the airspace and opposes those that would create a patchwork of rules and impose burdensome fees on operators and consumers.  
 
AUVSI engaged in meaningful discussions with the sponsor of SB5, Senator Swope, to share the uncrewed system industry’s perspective and reiterate concerns that the bill would effectively ground commercial drone operations in the state before they can take off. We are grateful that he listened to our concerns and opened a line of communication for future legislation. 
 
After significant advocacy efforts, SB5 was split into house bills HB4667 and HB4827. Passed as a separate measure from SB5, HB4667 reintroduces language creating an Advance Air Mobility (AAM) Committee and recognizes state preemption of the airspace. AUVSI may receive a seat on the committee.
 
AUVSI thanks Senator Swope for his close partnership on this bill, we look forward to working with him in the future to support West Virginia’s leadership in fostering the future of aerospace, including on ways AAM can benefit the Mountain State. Nationwide, we will continue to support legislation built on stakeholder consensus and will partner with industry stakeholders, chapters, and grassroots advocates to achieve that goal.
 
Contact Mike Smitsky at msmitsky@auvsi.org to learn how you can get involved with AUVSI’s state-level air advocacy initiatives.