Nev. competes in ‘hotly contested’ federal drone program
By Nicole Raz, Las Vegas Review-Journal
State officials are hoping to get Nevada one of five guaranteed spots in a federal drone program.
The Federal Aviation Administration sees the program as a way to speed innovation in integrating drones with national airspace. Nevada officials see the program as another way to solidify the Silver State as a key hub for the drone industry.
In response to a White House executive order, the FAA developed an Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program. It aims to have state, local and tribal governments partner with private-sector drone entities to test advanced drone operations, like flying over people or flying a drone outside an operator’s direct visual line of sight.