HJ223: Commending the Know Before You Fly campaign.
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 223
WHEREAS, the Know Before You Fly campaign is an educational program that provides information about the safe and responsible use of unmanned aircraft systems; and
WHEREAS, Know Before You Fly was established by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and the Academy of Model Aeronautics in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration; and
WHEREAS, the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the National Airspace System promises to drive new economic development and consumer choice, promote more responsible stewardship of natural resources, facilitate more effective emergency response and disaster recovery, and improve the efficiency and security of energy, transportation, and communications networks; and
WHEREAS, direct operation of unmanned aircraft systems, for both commercial and non-commercial use, is growing rapidly, with more than 1,500,000 aircraft already registered; the safe operation of those aircraft is necessary for continued innovation, economic activity, and public benefit; and
WHEREAS, the development and adoption of services provided by unmanned aircraft systems is expected to generate billions of new economic activity and create thousands of new jobs in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Know Before You Fly helps prospective operators of unmanned aircraft systems understand and abide by relevant requirements and limitations to ensure the safe operation of such systems; and
WHEREAS, Know Before You Fly gives users the tools to navigate the developing regulatory framework for unmanned aircraft systems, including steps by the Federal Aviation Administration to integrate unmanned aircraft systems into the National Airspace System and issuance of operational requirements for small unmanned aircraft systems operations in the airspace; and
WHEREAS, Know Before You Fly offers information regarding current guidance for safe and responsible unmanned aircraft systems operations to provide certainty to unmanned aircraft system owners and operators, maximizing the public benefits of unmanned aircraft systems, and mitigating risks to public safety and security; and
WHEREAS, the Know Before You Fly campaign has developed relationships with more than 150 supporters, including unmanned aircraft manufacturers, law-enforcement agencies, retailers, labor organizations, and institutions of higher education; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Know Before You Fly campaign for its success in providing safety education for prospective and active operators of unmanned aircraft systems in Virginia; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare copies of this resolution for presentation to the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and the Academy of Model Aeronautics as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for the Know Before You Fly campaign’s contributions to amateur aeronautics in the Commonwealth.