Letter to John Thune, Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, and William Nelson, Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee - Nuair Test Site Expiration Date

Letter

Dear Chairman Thune and Ranking Member Nelson:

I write to urge you to include language in the FAA reauthorization bill extending the six unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) research and test site operators. Under current law, the test site designations are set to expire in 2017.

As you know, in December 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) selected six UAS research and test site operators to further the FAA's UAS research goals of System Safety & Data Gathering, Aircraft Certification, Command & Control Link Issues, Control Station Layout & Certification, Ground & Airborne Sense & Avoid, and Environmental Impacts. I believe these test sites offer an important bridge toward safely and effectively integrating UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS).

In 2015, NASA entered into five-year contract with each test site to support NASA's UAS in the NAS and UAS traffic management (UTM) programs, participating in important research into the possibility of establishing a traffic management system for low altitude airspace. The FAA has also selected the winner of the UAS Center of Excellence competition--ASSURE led by Mississippi State University--and the Center of Excellence has been directed by Congress to use the test sites for research and development. The test sites have each received millions of dollars of investment from their respective states, assembled highly experiences teams, and built relationships with federal agencies and members of the UAS industry. Congress should extend the test sites to continue building upon these research and economic development steps and successes.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of this important issue. I look forward to continuing to work with you to safely integrate UAS into the National Airspace System.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer

United States Senator

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