U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) supports the recent passage of bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through 2023 by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Warner is a proponent of the research of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and investment in drones, driverless cars, and unmanned maritime vehicles.
The bill incorporates several provisions from the bipartisan Safe DRONE Act as well as instructs the FAA to develop a plan for commercial package delivery by drones.
“This compromise bill provides robust reforms that will allow further innovation in unmanned aircraft systems technology and advance research, providing a five-year extension of the FAA-designated test site at Virginia Tech,” Warner said. “I’m also pleased that other major pieces of legislation I’ve introduced are part of the bill, which will promote the safe and responsible use of UAS technology while creating a pipeline of skilled workers in this transformative industry. And once again, we have successfully prevented the addition of more slots at Reagan National, an effort that would have fundamentally undermined the balance among Northern Virginia’s airports and the economy that is based upon that balance.”
Other provisions in the bill include consumer protections and appropriating $1.68 billion for federal emergency relief efforts.