Congressman Mike Turner released the following statement as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a Screening Information Request for six Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) test sites. This announcement is similar to a request for proposals and is the next step towards the final selection of test sites.
“This latest step is welcome news to our community. Together we have been planning and positioning our region as a logical choice for one of the six UAS test sites. A selection of a location in our community for one of these sites will mean new jobs, untold economic development, and a foothold in an emerging industry. I look forward to continuing to work with the FAA and regional leaders as this process continues,” said Turner.
In December, Turner met with FAA leadership to discuss the timeline on FAA selection of six UAS test sites. The site selection process was established by language which Turner and fellow lawmakers included in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. Moreover, Turner included language in the FY 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which promotes collaboration among government agencies on UAS. Specifically, Turner’s language requires collaboration among scientific and technical personnel and resource-sharing from the Department of Defense, FAA, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Turner is a member of the Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus.
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