Manufacturing Subcommittee on Commerce

The Disrupter Series Manufacturing Subcommittee on Commerce

Drones promise to make life easier, safer, and less costly for workers in a wide variety of industries. The American Farm Bureau has forecast that farmers will be using drone services to monitor their crops and could see significant return on investment. The technology now exists for telecommunications and utility employees to send up drones up to inspect telephone poles and monitor their findings from the truck. Insurance adjusters sent out to inspect a claimant's home for hail damage could use a drone to conduct the examination without needing a ladder to walk around on the roof. The sector-specific benefits of drones add up to a massive economic impact. According to one study by the Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International drones will produce about $82 billion in growth during the next 10 years as they are integrated into the National Airspace System. The study also predicts the addition of 100,000 jobs over those 10 years, which encompasses drone makers, software engineers, suppliers, researchers and other workers that would support expanded drone production and use. There are important questions yet to be answered with respect to privacy laws and safety where drones are concerned. To realize the benefits, and resolve the privacy and safety issues, the Federal Aviation Administration is working with stakeholders to safely integrate drones into the American airspace.