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Legislative Changes Reflect Evolving Landscape of Drone Operations
In a major legislative shift, the North Carolina General Assembly has passed House Bill 198, effectively removing the requirement for a state uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) operator knowledge test and permit. This decision follows sustained advocacy by AeroX and its members, who’ve played a vital role in informing lawmakers about some great benefits of drones and inspiring a supportive business climate for advanced drone operations within the state.
The UAS knowledge test and operator permit requirements were initially introduced in 2014 under Session Law 2014-100. These regulations mandated that each state/local government and industrial drone operators pass the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s (NCDOT) UAS Operator Knowledge Test and acquire the NCDOT UAS permit, which needed to be renewed biennially.
Basil Yap, President of AeroX, recounted the early legislative discussions. “There have been significant concerns in regards to the security and privacy of drone usage and a belief that the FAA was not moving quickly enough to capitalize on business opportunities,” Yap said. “One legislator even suggested that if the FAA wasn’t going to create a drone pilot license, the state would help push them along by passing our own.” On the time, the FAA didn’t issue drone operator licenses, a niche filled in 2016 with the introduction of the Small UAS Rule (Part 107) and the Distant Pilot Certificate.
Yap, who served as UAS Program Manager at NCDOT from 2016 to 2020, oversaw the establishment of the web knowledge test and permitting process. During his tenure, he also led North Carolina’s involvement within the FAA UAS Integration Pilot Program. Yap noted that drone operators often questioned why North Carolina required a UAS permit, seeing it as redundant alongside the FAA’s Distant Pilot Certificate.
Since its inception in 2021, AeroX has engaged often with the General Assembly to support the drone industry. AeroX’s initiatives included hosting a UAS Legislative Day in 2023 and the state legislature’s UAS Caucus in 2024, offering legislators firsthand insights into drone operations and facilitating discussions with industry stakeholders.
House Bill 198, titled DOT Legislative Changes, was introduced in February 2023 and reached the Governor’s desk in May 2024. Although initially vetoed by Governor Roy Cooper as a result of issues unrelated to UAS regulations, the House and Senate overrode the veto, enacting the bill into law on June 27, 2024. The repeal of Article 10 of Chapter 63 of the state’s General Statutes, which encompasses the UAS knowledge test and permit requirements, will take effect on December 1, 2024.
AeroX continues to champion North Carolina’s position as a pacesetter in UAS innovation. By fostering an environment conducive to the expansion of UAS technologies, AeroX goals to create a model ecosystem for advanced air mobility and function a testbed for pioneering firms.
For more details about AeroX, visit www.ncaerox.com.
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