The Unmanned Safety Institute, a professional organization dedicated to the safe and responsible integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the U.S. National Airspace System, today announced a joint partnership with the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) to provide educational workshops to the law enforcement community throughout the United States.  The purpose of the educational workshops will be to train federal, state, and local law enforcement officers on proper techniques for responding to unauthorized or unlawful UAS flight operations, including intrusions within the operating vicinity of airports around the United States.

The workshop, “Responding to UAS Intrusions” will cover a variety of topics related to the UAS and its components, threats posed by UAS to critical infrastructure, types of UAS users, response protocols and best practices, legal enforcement authorities, and creating an agency standard.  The first workshop will be held at AAAE Headquarters in Alexandria, VA, on March 14-15, 2016.  Additional workshops around the United States are planned for 2016.  To request further information or to attend this workshop, please call (386) 265-1707 or e-mail info@unmannedsafetyinstitute.org.

In recent years, unlawful drone activity has rattled the international community.  In 2015 an operator lost control of their drone, which crashed on the White House lawn triggering a large response by law enforcement.  In that same year, a drone was used to transport a radioactive substance onto the roof of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s office building prompting a large security response and a review of legislation governing the use of drones in Japan.

“With over one million drones projected to be flying in the United States this year, the threat of an incident occurring increases exponentially,” said Aaron Greenwald, President of the Unmanned Safety Institute.  “We think it is absolutely vital that all law enforcement officers across the country have a deep understanding of this technology and how to appropriately respond to unauthorized activity in the event an incident occurs.”  Justin Towles, Staff Vice President for Regulatory and Legislative Affairs at AAAE stated how this partnership will provide important education and training on the enforcement of unauthorized UAS activity across the United States.  “This collaboration between AAAE and USI allows us to address industry’s critical need for specific guidance on UAS enforcement issues as both consumer and commercial drones proliferate across the country.”

About USI

The Unmanned Safety Institute is a professional flight safety organization for UAS operators and organizations focused on improving safety in UAS operations through the adoption and modification of time-honored aviation safety practices. The Institute’s foundation is built on three key areas including human factors, technology reliability, and building safe organizations.  The Institute works closely with manufacturers, insurance providers, and UAS operators to develop Safety Management Systems (SMS) and standards of practice that improve safety and reliability.  To learn more, please visit: www.unmannedsafetyinstitute.org.

About AAAE

Founded in 1928, AAAE is the world’s largest professional organization representing the men and women who work at public-use commercial and general aviation airports. AAAE’s 5,000-plus members represent some 850 airports and hundreds of companies and organizations that support the airport industry. Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., AAAE serves its membership through results-oriented representation in Washington, D.C., and delivers a wide range of industry services and professional development opportunities, including training, conferences, and a highly respected accreditation program.  To learn more, please contact Adam Snider, Director of Public Affairs at (703) 824-0500, Ext. 195.