AIAA Members Testify on UAS and Commercial Space Before CA Senate Select Committee on Defense and Aerospace Written 6 November 2013
Hearing Took Place at Mojave Air & Space Port 29 October 2013
On Tuesday, 29 October 2013, AIAA Executive Director Sandy Magnus and AIAA Commercial Space Group Chair Bruce Pittman testified before the California Senate Select Committee on Defense and Aerospace. The hearing was held at Mojave Air & Space Port in California. Dr. Magnus briefed the Members of the Committee on the status of FAA’s UAS Test Flight Sites and enacted state UAS legislation. Noting the large amount of states that considered UAS language this year, Dr. Magnus stressed that AIAA “will continue to monitor the policy debate and contribute where appropriate to facilitate the maximum benefit of the UAS in the proper context for society.” She added that, “with coordination, collaboration, and reasoned debate the proper introduction and use of UAS can be found which will benefit the country and keep the U.S. competitive.” Dr. Pittman addressed the expanding commercial space market and which states are currently operating space ports. The hearing was chaired by Senator Steve Knight and attended by Senator Jean Fuller. The Senate Select Committee on Defense and Aerospace and the Assembly Select Committee on Aerospace are co-hosting, in partnership with AIAA, the 3rd Annual California Aerospace Week in Sacramento 24–26 March 2014. For more information contact Steve Howell, AIAA Public Policy, at steveh@aiaa.org.
