The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) have formed a blue ribbon task force on unmanned aircraft system (UAS) mitigation at airports. The task force will refine practices and provide a framework to mitigate the threat of UAS incursions at airports.
“Occasional bad actors threaten to undermine the great progress we have made and even put responsible, legal UAS operations in a negative light,” said AUVSI CEO Brian Wynne, noting recent high-profile drone incursions at London Gatwick and Newark Liberty Airports. “The industry is working with our government partners on remote identification and tracking standards, but we understand that more needs to be done and at a faster pace than the regulatory process allows.”
“One of ACI-NA’s highest priorities is ensuring unauthorized and unsafe drone operations do not adversely affect the safety or security of U.S. and Canadian airports,” said ACI-NA CEO Kevin Burke. “With more and more drones flying in the airspace, we have found ourselves in a new situation with no clear playbook.”
The task force’s main objectives are to lead a dialogue to refine procedural practices for airports, law enforcement, and other stakeholders to ensure an efficient and seamless response to future UAS incidents. It will also develop a longer-term framework to deter incursions at airports that can be used at other high-profile facilities including national landmarks, stadiums, prisons, and military bases. The task force is co-chaired by former FAA administrator Michael Huerta and Deborah Flint, CEO, Los Angeles World Airports. Other members include major airport, air traffic control, aviation, public facility, and security executives.