BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING COMMITTEE BILL NO: AJR 6
SENATOR MARK DESAULNIER, CHAIRMAN AUTHOR: fox
VERSION: 1/28/13
Analysis by: Erin Riches FISCAL: no
Hearing date: June 4, 2013
SUBJECT:
Unmanned aircraft systems: test sites
DESCRIPTION:
Requests the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to consider
California as one of the test sites for unmanned aircraft
systems.
ANALYSIS:
Unmanned aerial systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones,
are aircraft without a human pilot on board; flight is
controlled either autonomously by computers on the aircraft, or
under the remote control of a pilot who is on the ground or in
another vehicle. UAS range in size from as large as a Boeing
737 to smaller than a radio-controlled model airplane.
The FAA first authorized use of UAS in 1990 and has since then
authorized limited use for firefighting, disaster relief, search
and rescue, law enforcement, border patrol, military training,
and testing and evaluation. Operators must apply to the FAA for
approval prior to operating UAS. The FAA currently does not
authorize UAS operations in Class B airspace, which exists over
major urban areas and contains the highest density of manned
aircraft in the national airspace system, so UAS use is very
limited.
In February 2012, Congress passed and President Obama signed
H.R. 658 (Public Law 112-95), the FAA Modernization and Reform
Act of 2012. Among other things, H.R. 658 requires the US
Department of Transportation to develop a comprehensive plan to
safely accelerate integration of UAS into the national airspace
system by 2015. H.R. 658 also requires the FAA to establish a
five-year pilot program at six test sites to integrate UAS into
the national airspace system. The FAA has accepted applications
from 50 organizations in 37 states, including two in California,
AJR 6 (FOX) Page 2
and expects to select the six test sites later this year.
This bill requests the FAA to consider California as one of the
test sites for UAS.
COMMENTS:
1.Purpose . The author states that while 10 states have
established commissions or public-private partnerships aimed
at acquiring a test site, California has not. The author
therefore introduced this resolution to highlight the need for
the FAA to consider California as a desirable test site and
for state leaders to participate in the application process.
2.What will UAS be used for ? According to a March 2013 report
by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International,
public safety and precision agriculture comprise 90 percent of
potential markets for UAS. Public safety officials who might
use UAS technology include police officers, firefighters, and
emergency medical providers, in cases of natural disasters,
man-made disasters, and crimes. Precision agriculture
includes remote sensing, where remote sensors are used to scan
plants for health problems, records growth rates and
hydration, and locate disease outbreaks. It also includes
precision application, where crop farmers and horticulturists
use targeted spray techniques to more selectively apply
pesticides and nutrients, thereby saving money and reducing
environmental impacts. The report states that 10 states -
including California - stand to benefit most in terms of job
creation and additional revenue as a result of increased UAS
production.
3.Privacy and other concerns . According to the National
Conference of State Legislatures, 43 states are considering or
have enacted legislation restricting UAS, due to concerns
about privacy, benefits, and business interests. In February
2013, the FAA issued a request for public input to help ensure
that privacy questions are addressed in the pilot program.
See "Related Legislation" below for current legislation
addressing privacy concerns and UAS.
RELATED LEGISLATION
AB 1327 (Gorell) establishes parameters for the use of UAS by
state and local government agencies, including law enforcement
agencies. Pending in Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AJR 6 (FOX) Page 3
SB 15 (Padilla) extends existing privacy standards to the use
of UAS. Pending in the Assembly.
Assembly Votes:
Floor: 70-1
Trans: 16-0
POSITIONS: (Communicated to the committee before noon on
Wednesday, May 29,
2013.)
SUPPORT: None received.
OPPOSED: None received.