Yesterday I coordinated a briefing for U.S. Senator Ron Wyden about Pendletons efforts to prepare our FAA test site for integrating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) into the national airspace. In the words of OSU VP Rick Spinrad, in ten years UAVs will be as common as cell phones. The Senator was pleased with our approach to the complex technical requirements to set up the test site regulations. We discussed privacy issues, ways to encourage private sector innovation and limitless benefits to the public good such as fire fighting, search & rescue, agriculture. We keyed in on how National Guard UAVs should be available to assist in fighting forest fires now to save money, time and forest land for the federal government. Great meeting. The meeting included Steve Chrisman (Pendleton Econ Devo Director), Dr. Stephen Machado (OSU Experimental Ag Station), Jonathon Evans (AUVSI), Brian Prange (Peak 3), RCDC, Pendleton City Councilors, Mayor, City Manager Robb Corbett and Melissa Drugge (Business Oregon) and Lt. Col. Alan Gronewold (Oregon National Guard).
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 17:33:33 +0000
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