An article by dronelife.com shares:
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a 5-year FAA Reauthorization Bill. H.R. 3935, “Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act” passed in a bipartisan 351-69 vote.
The Act will now pass to the Senate. The Senate is considering their own version of the bill, S. 1939.
The current FAA Reauthorization will expire September 30. Before that date, Congress must either pass the 2023 Reauthorization, or pass an extension of the current bill, to keep the FAA operating.
FAA Reauthorization includes many details related to airport and infrastructure modernization, dealing with pilot and ATC shortages, cybersecurity, pilot training, drone integration, and more. Historically, FAA Reauthorization has been difficult to pass. Before the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, the FAA worked under a series of extensions. The 2018 Act was the first passed since 2012; and was the first 5-year reauthorization since 1982.
A timely passage of an FAA Reauthorization Bill is important for the drone industry to move forward. Both House and Senate versions of the Bill contain provisions related to the commercial drone and AAM industries. In the immediate future, the FAA Reauthorization packages could drive a rulemaking on BVLOS flight according to specific timelines and referencing the recommendations of the BVLOS ARC, which were released in March of 2022.
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Be sure to visit the BWU Technology Partnerships Initiative website to learn more about how our NEOFIX program drives economic growth, promotes policy and infrastructure to improve drone safety and efficiency in various industries, and ensures that drone technology is being used responsibly.