Co-Chairman Cramer Hosts Northern Border Caucus Panel on UAS Development

Press Release

Today, Congressman Kevin Cramer, co-chairman of the Congressional Northern Border Caucus, hosted a panel discussion on unmanned aircraft system (UAS) advancements and regulations in Canada and the United States. North Dakota has become a center of UAS research, development, and training. The state is home to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) UAS test site; the University of North Dakota's School of Aerospace Sciences, which was selected as an FAA Center of Excellence for UAS; and hosts many government UAS assets. In addition, construction will begin soon on Grand Sky, a new UAS tech park under an enhanced use lease agreement with the Air Force on the Grand Forks Air Force Base property.

"Today's meeting was an opportunity for leaders from both nations to discuss the regulations and policies needed to ensure both countries benefit from UAS technology. We have an opportunity to make sure regulations for UAS are aligned as much as possible from the beginning. Canada is America's number one trading partner with $1.4 million in bilateral goods and services trade every minute. As the UAS industry grows it will certainly play a bigger and bigger role in this relationship," said Cramer.

A study has shown the UAS industry will create more than 100,000 jobs with $82 billion is economic impact in the United States alone. On February 15, 2015, the FAA proposed regulations for small UAS (under 55 pounds) and is expected to finalize these regulations in 2016. On May 28, 2015, Transport Canada issued a Notice of Proposed Amendment for UAS 25 kilograms or less with an expectation for regulatory requirements in 2016.

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