Congressional Resolution Introduced to Support National Drone Safety Week

Last week, Congressman Rick Laresn (D-WA) introduced resolution expressing support for the designation of November 16-22, 2020, as “National Drone Safety Awareness Week.” While H. Res. 1226 has no legal ramifications, it does show there is Congressional support and attention being paid to the matter. In the case of H. Res. 1226, the resolution brings added attention to a week of drone safety events led by the Unmanned Aircraft Safety Team (UAST), an industry-government partnership committed to ensuring the safe operations of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in the national airspace system.

Organizations across the U.S. are invited to host events in support of National Drone Safety Awareness Week. In 2019, there were over 128 events held across the U.S. This year, most events were virtual in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with topics ranging from “How can you use drones in STEM education?” to “UAS safety beyond the regulations.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was a key partner in the week’s events with FAA Administrator Steve Dickson himself paying a virtual visit to the Global Air Drone Academy to learn about the innovative ways STEM students plan to use drones for future businesses. By dedicating a week to drone safety, event organizers hope to educate and highlight how key sectors of the drone community are engaged and spreading safety awareness throughout the industry.

To learn more and to view past virtual events, please visit: https://dronesafetyawarenessweek.com/.