FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 12, 2016
Contact: Tom McMahon, tmcmahon@auvsi.org, (571) 255-7786
AUVSI Foundation, White House Release Report on Drone Workshop Proceedings
ARLINGTON, Va. – The AUVSI Foundation today released a report on the proceedings of the recent “Workshop on Drones and the Future of Aviation,” an event co-hosted with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The daylong workshop occurred on August 2 and focused on the continued issues facing the integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the national airspace system.
“The White House's first-ever workshop on drones recognized how UAS will play a vital role in our lives — inspiring businesses from all industry sectors as well as future generations of engineers, innovators and aviators,” said Daryl Davidson, executive director of the AUVSI Foundation.
The workshop brought together leaders from industry, academia and government to discuss the path to full UAS integration and how to make it a reality. In addition, it was announced at the workshop that the White House has committed to $35 million in new research funding through the National Science Foundation for UAS over the next five years.
"The August workshop was one of many steps this Administration has taken in an effort to integrate UAS into the National Airspace System,” said Dr. Ed Felten, U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer. “This type of cross-sector collaboration is vital to creating smarter policies and making government more responsive to emerging technologies like unmanned aircraft systems."
Breakout sessions detailed in the proceedings included discussions of low-altitude airspace management; expanded operations for small UAS; integration into the national airspace system; privacy concerns; spectrum; and UAS security and counter-UAS measures. Across each session, attendees emphasized the need for greater coordination between government agencies, industry and academia.
“Industry-government collaboration is key to the future of UAS. Events such as the Workshop on Drones and the Future of Aviation and the upcoming White House Frontiers Conference allow for greater cooperation between stakeholders to ensure a true, holistic plan for full UAS integration,” said Brian Wynne, president and CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI).
Wynne will be participating in the “National Frontiers” track of the White House Frontiers Conference on October 13 to discuss the vast potential that UAS offer to a wide array of industries, ranging from agriculture to filmmaking. The conference will take place in Pittsburgh.
The full report on the workshop proceedings can be found here.
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About the AUVSI Foundation
Established by the Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International (AUVSI), the AUVSI Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides students with hands-on robotics activities designed to fuel and sustain their interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Each year the AUVSI Foundation offers a series of educational programs as well as robotics competitions that allow students to apply their STEM education outside the classroom. The experience is ideal preparation for entering the workforce, which is why participating students are frequently offered coveted internship and employment opportunities while still in school.