Newhouse Amendment to Support Agricultural Use of Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Passes House

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last night, during debate on H.R. 2577, the FY16 Transportation, Housing & Urban Development Appropriations Act, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed Rep. Dan Newhouse's (R-WA) amendment to require the Federal Aviation Administration to take agricultural applications of small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology into consideration during the rulemaking process for UAVs.

"The prospective uses for small unmanned aerial vehicle technology (UAVs) include exciting opportunities for agriculture, responding to wildfires, and a multitude of innovative applications that can offer economic and safety benefits," said Rep. Newhouse. "The U.S. should not fall behind other nations that are currently developing safe testing and commercial use of UAV technology. UAV technology has the potential to be used to survey crop land, determine property lines, or eventually to help plan for planting, spraying, watering, or harvesting of crops. The rulemaking process for UAVs must include thorough consideration of new agricultural uses as these technologies develop while also addressing important safety and privacy concerns."