{"id":104440,"date":"2024-10-30T10:15:41","date_gmt":"2024-10-30T14:15:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dronelife.com\/?p=104440"},"modified":"2024-10-30T10:15:41","modified_gmt":"2024-10-30T14:15:41","slug":"auvsis-michael-robbins-calls-for-bvlos-rule-and-action-on-chinese-drones-in-morning-keynote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dronelife.com\/2024\/10\/30\/auvsis-michael-robbins-calls-for-bvlos-rule-and-action-on-chinese-drones-in-morning-keynote\/","title":{"rendered":"AUVSI\u2019s Michael Robbins Calls for BVLOS Rule and Action on Chinese Drones in Morning Keynote"},"content":{"rendered":"

Industry Faces Regulatory and Security Hurdles, but FAA Collaboration Sparks Hope<\/h3>\n
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Michael Robbins, President and CEO of AUVSI<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The AUVSI New England UAS and AAM Summit<\/a> kicked off with a powerful morning keynote from AUVSI<\/a> President and CEO Michael Robbins. Against the backdrop of the conference theme, \u201cIf We Build It, Will They Come?\u201d<\/em> Robbins addressed the state of the drone industry, focusing on two pivotal issues: the critical need for a rule on beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations to scale complex missions, and the urgency of limiting Chinese-manufactured drones in the U.S. to support fair competition and national security. Robbins highlighted both challenges and progress in these areas, providing an honest but hopeful view of the drone sector\u2019s trajectory.<\/p>\n

Pushing for a BVLOS Rule to Scale Operations<\/h3>\n

BVLOS capabilities are essential to growing the drone industry, Robbins stressed, but the lack of a clear regulatory framework is holding things back. Without a BVLOS rule, complex drone operations remain limited, restricting the potential for scalability and profitability. While waivers and exemptions allow some companies to perform advanced missions, they\u2019re still outliers. \u201cWaivers and exemptions are a great step,\u201d Robbins stated, \u201cand allow companies to do more than they\u2019ve ever done before \u2013 and do more good. But it\u2019s not enough. Those are still exceptions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Robbins emphasized that a formal BVLOS rule would bring the reliability that investors and operators need to make substantial commitments. Although the FAA has worked closely with the industry, evident in the progress made at the key site in Dallas Fort Worth enabling commercial drone delivery and other complex operations, the timeline for BVLOS rulemaking has been frustrating.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe ARC delivered its report in March of 2022,\u201d Robbins said, \u201cand we\u2019re now in November of 2024 and don\u2019t even have a draft rule. That\u2019s a timeline that\u2019s untenable.\u201d The FAA passed the draft BVLOS rule to the Department of Transportation (DOT) in July, but it has yet to be released. \u201cWe\u2019re angry about it,” said Robbins. “Quite honestly, we\u2019re frustrated. There\u2019s no reason to delay a draft rule \u2013 it\u2019s a draft. It\u2019s spooking investors, and it\u2019s spooking the industry.\u201d Robbins reaffirmed that AUVSI is pressing for a resolution, as the delay causes mounting concern.<\/p>\n

In Robbins\u2019s view, the FAA’s commitment is clear and efforts to collaborate have ramped up in recent years: but the industry\u2019s future growth still hinges on regulatory certainty. \u201cThis is a new day at the FAA\u2026They are committed to making sure that the U.S. maintains its position as a leader,\u201d Robbins said, underscoring that without BVLOS rulemaking, domestic drone companies will continue to struggle to grow and keep up with international competition.<\/p>\n

Addressing the Chinese Drone Challenge and National Security Concerns<\/h3>\n

Robbins also called attention to the need to limit Chinese-manufactured drones in the U.S. market, both for fair competition and to address significant national security concerns. Robbins said that Chinese drones, often backed by state subsidies, have flooded the market at low prices, making it difficult for U.S. companies to compete on a level playing field. This competitive imbalance comes alongside substantial security concerns.<\/p>\n

FBI Director Christopher Wray has been particularly vocal about the risks, repeatedly highlighting Chinese-manufactured drones as a significant threat to U.S. security. Robbins echoed this: \u201cThere are very real security concerns. For those that are in the know on this and have seen some of the documents that are still classified, that threat is clear.\u201d Robbins emphasized that the evidence behind these concerns is strong and has prompted AUVSI to confront the issue, even as some industry players push back. \u201cWe decided about a year ago that we were going to take this issue head-on. We\u2019ve taken some flak about this from the industry \u2013 but it was the right thing to do, and we\u2019re not backing down.\u201d<\/p>\n

In partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit, AUVSI launched the Green UAS cybersecurity program<\/a> to ensure a secure supply chain, emphasizing that drones in the U.S. market must be free of components from the People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC) and that manufacturers must meet stringent cybersecurity standards. \u201cWe\u2019re moving the industry in the right direction on that,\u201d Robbins stated, noting that the program aims to raise security standards across the board.<\/p>\n

Robbins also hinted at potential legislation to limit the influx of Chinese-manufactured drones. \u201cRegardless of who wins in November, I think we\u2019re going to see action from the current administration about this,\u201d he noted. While acknowledging that U.S.-made drones may never be as inexpensive as Chinese counterparts, Robbins stressed that as U.S. companies scale production, costs should come down. \u201cThat\u2019s economics 101,\u201d he stated. \u201cWe\u2019re never going to be as cheap as China. We need to accept that and build it into the plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Charting a Course for a Secure, Scalable U.S. Drone Industry<\/h3>\n

Robbins closed his keynote by emphasizing that while the U.S. drone industry faces regulatory and security challenges, there is also reason for optimism. Progress with the FAA and the commitment of the industry signal a positive shift. A formal BVLOS rule, alongside measures to limit Chinese-manufactured drones, could set the stage for a competitive, scalable, and secure U.S. drone sector. As Robbins pointed out, \u201cWe can now compete on capability. \u00a0That wasn’t always true, but US drones are now as capable, or sometimes more capable, than their competitors.\u201d With sustained advocacy and collaboration, Robbins said that the U.S. drone industry has the potential to grow and thrive in an increasingly complex global landscape.<\/p>\n

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