US President Donald Trump has ordered a directive to launch a new initiative to test and validate the safe use of advanced drone operations across the country’s airspace.

The new unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) integration pilot programme will be implemented in collaboration with selected state and local governments.

Results of the programme will be used to accelerate the safe integration of UAS into US national airspace and to help boost the country’s economy.

“This programme supports the President’s commitment to foster technological innovation that will be a catalyst for ideas that have the potential to change our day-to-day lives.”

Under the initiative, operational concepts such as night operations, flights over people, flights beyond the pilot’s line-of-sight, package delivery, counter- UAS security operations, detect-and-avoid technologies, as well as reliability and security of data links between pilots and aircraft, will be assessed.

US Transportation Secretary Elaine L Chao said: “This programme supports the President’s commitment to foster technological innovation that will be a catalyst for ideas that have the potential to change our day-to-day lives.

“Drones are proving to be especially valuable in emergency situations, including assessing damage from natural disasters such as the recent hurricanes and the wildfires in California.”

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The pilot programme is expected to help the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to create a regulatory framework for enabling more complex low-altitude drone operations.

It is also anticipated to help identify ways to balance local and national interests, improve communications with local, state and tribal jurisdictions, address security and privacy risks, and accelerate the existing drone flight approval system.

The programme is set to benefit various industries, including commerce, photography, emergency management, precision agriculture, and infrastructure inspections and monitoring.

The initiative seeks pilot proposals from and developed by interested local governments and private sector entities.

Following the evaluation, USDT will invite a minimum of five partnerships to take part in the programme.