Letter to Senate Armed Companies Committee highlights extreme affect on public security operations
In a letter despatched to the Senate Armed Companies Committee at this time, the California Hearth Chiefs Affiliation, representing over 800 fireplace businesses in California, together with public security advocacy teams DRONERESPONDERS, the Legislation Enforcement Drone Affiliation (LEDA), AIrborne Public Security Affiliation, and different first responder advocacy teams voiced sturdy opposition to the inclusion of the Countering CCP Drones Act within the Senate model of the Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA) FY2025. The letter arrives forward of the Senate’s scheduled dialogue on June 12, 2024, and descriptions important issues over the potential repercussions of the act on public security drone operations.
Key Factors of Concern
The Countering CCP Drones Act, launched by Consultant Elise Stefanik, seeks to handle nationwide safety issues by including DJI, a serious Chinese language drone producer, to the FCC Lined Checklist. This motion would empower the FCC to retroactively revoke all DJI licenses while not having Congressional approval, successfully dismantling roughly 90% of all public security drone operations. The letter highlighted that this could not solely have an effect on army personnel but in addition jeopardize the security and livelihood of communities throughout America.
“The Countering CCP Drone Act is harmful because it overlooks the immediate operational needs of public safety agencies, compromising first responders’ ability to respond effectively to emergencies,” the letter states. “The over-reliance on unproven alternatives to established Chinese drone technology is impractical and dangerous. Simply put, we have not yet reached parity with China.”
Potential Impacts on Public Security
The letter emphasizes that banning DJI drones would disrupt essential public security operations. The affiliation argues {that a} balanced method is important—one which addresses safety issues with out an outright ban on DJI drones, which haven’t demonstrated any impropriety in printed reviews and are important in saving lives and deescalating risky conditions each day.
The affiliation additionally references the Drones for First Responders (DFR) Act, one other legislative effort by Consultant Stefanik. This act proposes tariffs on Chinese language drones to fund a grant program enabling police departments to buy non-Chinese language drones and put money into American drone know-how. Nonetheless, the letter contends that the success of the DFR Act is contingent on the exclusion of the Countering CCP Drones Act from the NDAA.
Unintended Penalties and Suggestions
The letter from public security teams warns that together with DJI on the FCC Lined Checklist would eradicate tariff income wanted to subsidize the upper prices of American drones. Additionally they spotlight the unrealistic assumption that different Chinese language drone firms, like Autel, would compensate for this loss.
The affiliation urges lawmakers to think about the broader implications of the Countering CCP Drones Act on public security. They name for a technique that balances nationwide safety issues whereas safeguarding American lives—a stability they consider the present model of the act fails to realize.
Conclusion
In closing, the letter underscores the necessity for cautious consideration of the Countering CCP Drones Act’s affect on public security. The affiliation expresses readiness to collaborate with lawmakers to develop a technique that addresses safety issues with out compromising the effectiveness of public security operations.
“We are ready and willing to collaborate closely with you to develop a strategy that balances national security concerns while safeguarding American lives—a goal that the current version of the Countering CCP Drone Act fails to meet.”
Because the Senate Armed Companies Committee prepares to assessment the NDAA, the issues raised by first responders spotlight the essential want for a nuanced method to laws impacting public security and nationwide safety.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, an expert drone providers market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone business and the regulatory atmosphere for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles centered on the industrial drone area and is a world speaker and acknowledged determine within the business. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising for brand new applied sciences.
For drone business consulting or writing, E mail Miriam.
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