H.C.R. 3

             1     

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON UNMANNED AIRCRAFT

             2     
SYSTEMS

             3     
2014 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Val L. Peterson

             6     
Senate Sponsor: Jerry W. Stevenson

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor expresses support for
             11      the development of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, technologies, and businesses in the
             12      state of Utah.
             13      Highlighted Provisions:
             14          This resolution:
             15          .    expresses support for the development of Unmanned Aircraft Systems,
             16      technologies, and businesses in the state; and
             17          .    recognizes the significant economic benefits that Unmanned Aircraft Systems and
             18      their technological development can bring to the state.
             19      Special Clauses:
             20          None
             21     
             22      Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
             23          WHEREAS, the state of Utah has excellent resources that can be used to further
             24      advance the research, development, and use of technology to benefit and support Utahns and
             25      Americans with the safe use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS);
             26          WHEREAS, UAS can be designed for gathering information necessary to protect
             27      human life in search and rescue operations; aiding in the management of resources, including


             28      marine mammal and fisheries research; providing humanitarian assistance; providing a
             29      platform for scientific research; and other private and public sector activities;
             30          WHEREAS, for example, the Alaska Center for Unmanned Aircraft Systems
             31      Integration used a UAS to assist the United States Coast Guard Cutter Healy and the Russian
             32      tanker Renda in delivering fuel to Nome, Alaska, in 2012;
             33          WHEREAS, since the 1990s, the list of potential uses for UAS has expanded
             34      exponentially;
             35          WHEREAS, approximately 90% of the known commercial uses of UAS are for
             36      agriculture and public safety;
             37          WHEREAS, some of the uses of UAS will be disaster response, critical infrastructure,
             38      law enforcement, and natural resource monitoring;
             39          WHEREAS, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restricts the use of UAS by
             40      public agencies to conduct routine flights over urban or populated areas, heavily trafficked
             41      roads, or open-air assemblies of people, as well as the discharge or dropping of objects while in
             42      flight, and the operation of UAS without the capability of pilot intervention;
             43          WHEREAS, the FAA has set up a roadmap for integration of UAS into the National
             44      Airspace System (NAS);
             45          WHEREAS, in order to integrate UAS safety into the NAS, four main components of
             46      UAS operation will need to be researched: pilot and crew requirements; control station
             47      functionality and certification; data link certification requirements and operability; and
             48      unmanned aircraft certification requirements, airworthiness standards, measures of
             49      performance, and continued airworthiness standards;
             50          WHEREAS, Utah, with the various academic levels of expertise in the these areas, is
             51      well positioned to help the FAA develop these standards;
             52          WHEREAS, the state of Utah is prepared to work with the FAA to promote the
             53      establishment of safe UAS ranges in Utah;
             54          WHEREAS, these efforts will help develop procedures for the safe operation of UAS in
             55      the NAS;
             56          WHEREAS, it is estimated that integration of UAS into NAS will have a significant
             57      positive impact on the national economy, including the creation of more than 34,000
             58      manufacturing jobs and more than 70,000 new jobs in the first three years;


             59          WHEREAS, by 2025, total job creation is estimated at 103,776;
             60          WHEREAS, the manufacturing jobs created will be high paying and require technical
             61      baccalaureate degrees;
             62          WHEREAS, in addition to direct jobs created by the manufacturing process, income
             63      generated through newly created jobs will be spread to local communities;
             64          WHEREAS, as new jobs are created, additional money is spent at the local level,
             65      creating additional demand for local services and creating more jobs;
             66          WHEREAS, tax revenue to the states from 2015-2025, the first 11 years following
             67      integration, are estimated at $635 billion;
             68          WHEREAS, Utah has a very strong relationship with the national UAS industry players
             69      already working within the state;
             70          WHEREAS, Utah has a strong and established history with defense integration
             71      initiatives;
             72          WHEREAS, the United States Army has located its UAS technology center at Utah's
             73      Dugway Proving Ground;
             74          WHEREAS, the United States Air Force has chosen Hill Air Force Base's Ogden Air
             75      Logistics Center as its Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) center for the Air Force's
             76      Predator UAS;
             77          WHEREAS, Utah has a substantial academic UAS body of expertise among its five
             78      universities that partnered together for the FAA's UAS Site Award bid;
             79          WHEREAS, this academic partnership, with its diverse levels and types of expertise, is
             80      unparalleled by another state;
             81          WHEREAS, Utah State University's Space Dynamic Lab has a 50-year history of
             82      developing satellite imaging and mapping technologies that can serve UAS civil and
             83      commercial applications;
             84          WHEREAS, Utah Valley University (UVU) brings expertise in aviation science and has
             85      one of the largest aviation programs in the United States;
             86          WHEREAS, UVU's College of Aviation and Public Services is located at the Provo
             87      Airport and is a natural place to start the development and evaluation of the civil applications
             88      of UAS;
             89          WHEREAS, the University of Utah brings expertise in computer and visualization


             90      technology and is a leading research and development institution supporting data collection,
             91      management, and presentation technologies;
             92          WHEREAS, Utah State University brings expertise in imaging and mapping
             93      capabilities and spaceflight technologies through its Space Dynamics Lab and research;
             94          WHEREAS, Weber State University brings expertise in aerospace industries applied
             95      sciences through its Utah Center for Aeronautical Innovation and Design;
             96          WHEREAS, Brigham Young University brings expertise in UAS guidance and control
             97      technologies;
             98          WHEREAS, at the forefront of such research are two academic spin-out companies,
             99      Lockheed Martin Procerus Technologies and SAR, which provide auto pilots and miniature
             100      Synthetic Aperture Radars for UAS;
             101          WHEREAS, the FAA has yet to determine and set its certification requirements for
             102      civil and commercial UAS operators;
             103          WHEREAS, working in collaboration with the Utah academic partners, and with its
             104      expertise in aviation and public services curriculum and training, UVU can assist the FAA in
             105      establishing its UAS operator certification requirements and program;
             106          WHEREAS, Utah's university partners could collaboratively establish a certification
             107      and training center to help the FAA determine a suitable commercial application of UAS into
             108      the NAS;
             109          WHEREAS, Utah is uniquely positioned to help the FAA meet some of its initiatives
             110      and challenges, including data collection and management;
             111          WHEREAS, the FAA needs comprehensive data on safe integration of UAS into the
             112      NAS in a variety of environments;
             113          WHEREAS, Utah, with its diverse topography, geography, climates, and infrastructure
             114      of proven research and development is optimally positioned to provide the FAA the rich,
             115      meaningful, and diverse data it seeks to successfully integrate UAS into NAS;
             116          WHEREAS, Utah provides operational conditions in congested airspace, in various
             117      climate conditions, at various altitudes, all in a diversity of geographical terrain;
             118          WHEREAS, UAS may present a substantial risk to privacy, but neither the FAA nor
             119      any other state or federal agency currently has specific statutory authority to regulate privacy
             120      matters relating to unmanned aircraft systems;


             121          WHEREAS, the UAS Advisory Board, appointed by the Governor, is addressing issues
             122      and concerns of responsible management and privacy;
             123          WHEREAS, Utah's legislative and executive branches are supportive of UAS initiatives
             124      and their application among other industries and government agencies;
             125          WHEREAS, with an already established UAS infrastructure and a complex of potential
             126      launch and recovery areas that could match the complexity and maturity of the intended UAS
             127      applications, Utah has the ability to expand and respond quickly to FAA needs now and in the
             128      future; and
             129          WHEREAS, it is expected that Utah will provide a national model for other states to
             130      follow:
             131          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
             132      Governor concurring therein, expresses support for the development of Unmanned Aircraft
             133      Systems, technologies, and businesses in the state.
             134          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor recognize the
             135      significant economic benefits that Unmanned Aircraft Systems and their technological
             136      development can bring to the state.
             137          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Federal
             138      Aviation Administration and the members of Utah's congressional delegation.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 1-27-14 10:14 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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