Avigation Easements: AUVSI Says “No Drone Toll Lanes”

Leading drone advocacy group AUVSI has spoken out against avigation easements, saying that a “drone toll” model is a “poison pill” for the industry.

So-called avigation easements would allow state and local governments to create drone toll lanes in the sky.  Not only does this threaten to create a complex and costly system for commercial drone operators to navigate, it also directly challenges federal control of the airspace.  That challenge could lead to what former FAA Administrator Michael Huerta called a “patchwork quilt” of drone regulations across the country: and would undermine federal efforts to establish clear regulations based on safety.

Drone Federalism isn’t new – but it’s an issue that crops up repeatedly, on both sides of the aisle.  Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein’s “Drone Federalism Act” was among the first, introduced in 2017: most recently, Republican Senator Lee has introduced new versions.  These efforts, says AUVSI, are a…