Letter to Congress: Support of "Increasing Competitiveness for American Drones Act of 2023" (S.307)

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce supports S. 307, the “Increasing Competitiveness for American Drones Act of 2023,” and we thank you for crafting this bipartisan legislation.

            Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) already provide substantial economic benefits to the United States across a wide range of sectors. However, existing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations significantly inhibit the full potential of UAS applications, risking America’s longstanding leadership in aviation.

 S. 307 helps address those shortcomings by directing the FAA to pursue a rulemaking to enable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations for UAS, unlocking new uses in areas such as infrastructure inspection, aerial delivery, and post-disaster recovery. Your legislation takes other important steps, including extending and expanding UAS test sites and clarifying the FAA’s organizational responsibilities for UAS integration.

We support S. 307 and urge the Senate to expeditiously consider and pass this important bill.

 Sincerely,

Neil L. Bradley
Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer, and Head of Strategic Advocacy
U.S. Chamber of Commerce