Small UAV Coalition Launched to Advance the Commercial Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Remarkable technologies benefit consumers and promote U.S. competitiveness

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1, 2014 -- Leading technology companies today formally announced the formation of the Small UAV Coalition to help pave the way for commercial, philanthropic, and civil use of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in the United States and abroad. Chief among the organization's goals is to advance a regulatory environment that will support safe, reliable, and timely operation of small UAVs.


Leading technology companies today formally announced the formation of the Small UAV Coalition to help pave the way for commercial, philanthropic, and civil use of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in the United States and abroad. Chief among the organization's goals is to advance a regulatory environment that will support safe, reliable, and timely operation of small UAVs. (pictured is DJI Phantom 2 Vision small UAV)

Founding members of the Small UAV Coalition are (in alphabetical order): 3DR, Aerialtronics, Airware, Amazon Prime Air, DJI Innovations, Google[x]'s Project Wing, GoPro, and Parrot. The Coalition is supported by a team of experienced attorneys at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP.

"Small unmanned aerial vehicles will yield tremendous benefits to consumers in so many exciting and practical ways," said Michael Drobac, executive director of the Small UAV Coalition and senior advisor at Akin Gump. "Small UAVs can be utilized for stunning aerial photography, surveying and mapping, advances in precision agriculture, consumer delivery, disaster management, journalism, and to monitor flare stacks and gas pipelines. In addition, the Small UAV Coalition will continue to support safe recreational enjoyment of UAVs for hobbyists and enthusiasts."

"The Small UAV Coalition believes safe commercial, philanthropic, and civil use of small UAVs will benefit the lives of consumers and promote U.S. competitiveness," said Drobac. "We look forward to working with the FAA, FCC, the Administration and Congress to ensure this industry can flourish."

Small UAVs weigh under 55 pounds and typically fly at an altitude of less than 400 feet AGL. These highly maneuverable, energy-efficient devices operate on rechargeable batteries and are equipped with the latest in safety features. They can be flown by a remote operator or an automated program in the UAV.

For more information on the Small UAV Coalition, please visit www.smalluavcoalition.org, contact press@smalluavcoalition.org, or follow @smallUAVs on Twitter.

Featured Product

TM Robotics – Shibaura Machine THE SCARA range

TM Robotics - Shibaura Machine THE SCARA range

The THE range from Shibaura Machine is an extensive line up of SCARA robots. Available in four arm lengths THE400 (400mm), THE600 (600mm) and the most recent THE800 (800mm) and THE1000 (1000mm), this range is suitable for assembly, handling, inspection and pick and place processes in varied industrial applications. The THE1000 boasts a 20kg payload capacity and an impressive 0.44 second cycle time, providing high speeds for processes with large components. In fact, the range has been recognised for as the price-to-performance leader compared to other SCARA models in its price range due to its impressive speed versus payload capacity.