Drone rules may be a boon to local industry
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The burgeoning drone industry could get a boost with the Federal Aviation Administration’s long-awaited proposed rules on how, where and under what conditions they can fly commercially. This, according to local business and education leaders.
The proposed rules released earlier this week would require operators to be certified, and fly drones within line of sight and during the day. The drones would be restricted to below 500 feet in altitude and speeds of less than 100 miles per hour. The regulations might not take effect for another two years or more as the federal agency listens to what the public has to say.
Drone manufacturers and potential business users have lobbied and waited for years to find out what rules the FAA would put in place to allow everything from inspecting pipelines to scouting real estate locations. Frank Beafore, executive director of unmanned aircraft-maker SelectTech Geospatial in Springfield, told The Dayton Daily News as much. “What the FAA has handed down in terms of rules is very practical and very achievable.” Along with agriculture, Beafore’s company is working with a customer who might use drones to inspect power lines.
State leaders have identified the emerging industry as among the most important to create jobs in future years. It could employ 2,700 workers in Ohio alone by 2025. This – according to a trade association report.
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The Dayton Development Coalition has been among the economic development organizations advocating unmanned aerial vehicles as a new and promising industry for jobs in Southwest Ohio.
“The bottom line is it’s encouraging that (FAA officials) have come out with some rules and the rules appear to be reasonable so far, but again I would like to receive some input from some of the companies actually flying these,” said Maurice McDonald, coalition executive vice president of aerospace and defense.
Clark County is expected to play a significant role in Ohio’s drone industry. Clark State Community College has a precision agriculture program already in place. The Ohio/Indiana UAS Test Center in Springfield supports universities and government agencies research, through allocations for economic development and commercialization of this technology. Another place with a big stake in the new rules is Sinclair Community College, which has worked to be a national leader in training an unmanned aerial systems workforce.
The Richmond, Ind., Police Department will launch a small drone in the months ahead if the FAA grants approval. This, according to Police Chief Kris J. Wolski. He also added “We started realizing it would not only benefit us from traffic accidents but maybe outdoor crime scenes where the incident is spread out over a larger area.” The department, which spent $1,800 on a quad-copter, would follow federal laws on privacy and warrantless searches.
