Randy Willis, of the FAA
At a recent IACP presentation about law enforcement’s use of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), Randy Willis, an FAA air traffic control specialist, laid out an approximate timetable for the establishment of six sUAS test sites across the country.
Mr. Willis noted that FAA personnel are currently developing “selection criteria,” which the agency will use to evaluate the many applications they expect to receive from cities, states and geographic regions across the country. He cited Ohio, Oklahoma, Florida and New Mexico as among a growing list of interested states. Not wishing to be too specific, he stated the first new test site for small unmanned aerial systems “should be operational within a year.”
Willis told the group that this project has money authorized for it by Congress, but not yet appropriated. “We have zero money connected with it,” said Willis. It is not yet clear whether money shortages will affect the timetable by which test sites are chosen and sUAS are integrated into the National Air Space.
Read the complete report by Jacob Goodwin in Government Security News Magazine…
IACP 2012: FAA’s Willis provides quick update on selection of six UAS test sites
Rich Hanson
AMA Government and Regulatory Affairs