House subcommittee to discuss drone safety

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's Subcommittee on Aviation will hold a hearing Wednesday on safety issues related to the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in the process of crafting regulations for UAS, also known as drones. The FAA authorized civil use of UAS in U.S. airspace in 1990, but new technology has made their use much more common.

Across industries, many commercial applications have popped up, ranging from wedding photography to remote pipeline inspections to opportunities for package delivery. Increases in reported UAS sightings by pilots and air traffic controllers, however, have raised safety concerns among stakeholders and the public, subcommittee members said in a press release.

Wednesday’s hearing will help the subcommittee "to better understand the nature and extent of safety issues posed by the growing use of UAS in the national airspace," they said.

Increasingly, railroads are exploring the capabilities of UAS for a variety of applications, including security. To learn more, read this article recently posted on ProgressiveRailroading.com.