FAA Reveals Members of Long-Term Drone Advisory Committee

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced the members of its long-term drone advisory committee (DAC), which will hold a public meeting in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 16.

Held at 9:00 a.m. at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the meeting will cover key issues and challenges associated with integrating unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System, says the nonprofit Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA), which was charged with helping to recruit members.

According to the RTCA, the new DAC is modeled on the NextGen Advisory Committee and will meet at least three times a year. The committee will conduct more detailed business through a subcommittee and various task groups that will help the FAA prioritize its activities, including the development of future regulations and policies.

Chaired by Intel’s Brian Krzanich, the group includes the following members:

• Greg Agvent, CNN
• Deborah Ale Flint, Los Angeles World Airports
• Juan Alonso, Stanford University
• Mark Baker, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
• Jaz Banga, Airspace Technologies
• Linden Blue, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
• Robert Boyd, Riley County, Kansas
• Tim Canoll, Air Line Pilots Association
• Nancy Egan, 3D Robotics
• Trish Gilbert, National Air Traffic Controllers Association
• Martin Gomez-Vesclir, Facebook
• Todd Graetz, BNSF Railway
• David Green, Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Bureau of Aeronautics
• Ryan Hartman, Insitu
• Robert Isom, American Airlines
• Gur Kimchi, Amazon Prime Air
• Ed Lee, San Francisco, California
• Nancy Leveson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Dave Mathewson, Academy of Model Aeronautics
• Nan Mattai, Rockwell Collins
• Houston Mills, UPS
• Marily Mora, Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority
• Christopher Penrose, AT&T
• Steven Rush, Professional Helicopter Pilots Association
• Lillian Ryals, The MITRE Corporation
• Robie Samanta Roy, Lockheed Martin
• Paola Santana, Matternet
• Ed Sayadian, Harris Corporation
• Brendan Schulman, DJI Technology
• Phil Straub, Garmin International
• Dave Vos, Google X
• Brian Wynne, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International
• Robert Young, PrecisionHawk
• Matthew Zuccaro, Helicopter Association International

“Drones are bringing real benefits to American businesses, farms, nonprofits and government agencies while also capturing the imagination of millions of photographers, racers, hobbyists and other enthusiasts,” says Schulman, DJI’s vice president of policy and legal affairs, in a release. “DJI appreciates the opportunity to help explore how further regulatory changes can help expand the safe and beneficial use of unmanned aerial technology. From saving lives to helping businesses operate more efficiently to sharing spectacular views, we stand ready to help advise the FAA on how to bring these benefits to everyone.”