Regulatory Roundup: U.S. Federal Legislators Push for UAS Integration

Breaking down key drone, UAS, and AAM regulations from the past month.

Friday, April 14, 2023 at 03:24 PM ET

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With each passing month, modern aviation technology is getting more attention from federal and state lawmakers. [Credit: Pixabay]

Key Takeaways:

The rapid expansion of drones and advanced air mobility is prompting extensive regulatory efforts at federal, state, and international levels to integrate these new aviation technologies safely and securely.
U.S. federal initiatives focus on reauthorizing UAS test sites, supporting research and development, and promoting domestic competitiveness in drone technology and airspace integration.
U.S. state governments are enacting diverse regulations, including bans on foreign-made drones for public agencies (e.g., Florida), which face operational challenges, and laws addressing drone surveillance in areas like agriculture and law enforcement.
Internationally, countries like the Philippines and New Zealand are updating civil aviation laws to enhance drone safety and security, while others are approving commercial drone operations.

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As federal officials, state lawmakers, and agencies like the Federal Aviation Administration tackle the massive aviation industry, they now must also contend with regulating an entirely new sphere of companies, technologies, safety protocols, and more.

A new era of aviation—which encompasses drones, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), advanced air mobility (AAM), electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL), and other new ways to fly— is coming. Now, around the country, federal and state lawmakers are trying to figure out how to manage it.