CEA commends House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee drones hearing

ARLINGTON, VA – The following statement is attributed to Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), regarding today’s House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation’s hearing entitled, “Ensuring Aviation Safety in the Era of Unmanned Aircraft Systems:”

“Our eyes are being opened to the impossible by drone technology—from search and rescue to package delivery to filming movies to precision agriculture. Industries are seeing the economic gains and increased efficiency and productivity through drone usage. But for America’s drone technology to actually take flight, we need a regulatory framework that embodies a risk-based approach to integrating unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to maximize safety, utility and economic benefit.

“We applaud the House Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Aviation for holding a hearing to learn more about UAS. The drone industry is set to take off—one million flights per day within the next 20 years given the right regulatory environment. And until the Federal Administration Aviation (FAA) releases clear rules authorizing drones in the national airspace, the industry and CEA will continue to educate drone enthusiasts about the safe and responsible operation of drones through the Know Before You Fly campaign.”