Washington, DC – Edward Wytkind, president of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, issues this statement in response to the announcement by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that it will require the registration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones:
“We are pleased the FAA has taken an important first step in improving the safety of our National Air Space (NAS) by requiring the owners and operators of UAS to register their devices. We’re already seeing the consequences of irresponsible, poorly regulated drone use as some UAS operators have interfered with emergency response operations or caused near misses with commercial aircraft at major airports. The registration requirement sends a clear message to all UAS operators that sharing airspace with commercial, cargo and emergency-response aircraft should not be taken lightly.
“While the FAA’s move to implement a UAS registration requirement is an important and necessary step, we agree with the commonsense proposal of the Air Line Pilots Association to make registration mandatory at the point of sale. This requirement would ensure that drone owners and operators are aware of the rules and responsibilities associated with their aircraft before they take to the skies. We also believe that the widespread integration of drones into our national airspace should not occur until strong, uniform FAA regulations are implemented and fully enforced.”
CONTACT: Jonna Huseman, jonnah@ttd.org, 202-628-9262
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