The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma applauds the passage of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2024.
The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and includes significant provisions for improving aviation safety and integrating new technology into the national airspace system (NAS), ensuring that the United States remains a global leader in aviation technology.
The bill also extends the FAA’s UAS BEYOND program which focuses on establishing rules and collecting data to better understand the benefits of drone usage. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) is the only tribal government lead participant in this program.
“We are excited about the new opportunities the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 provides for the BEYOND program,” said James Grimsley, Executive Director of the Choctaw Nation’s Advanced Technology Initiatives program. “This is a significant milestone in aviation for the United States, and the great leadership and work of Senator Mullin will enable the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma to expand programs that will lead to economic growth in our region.”
The bill included an amendment by Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin enhancing opportunities for the FAA UAS BEYOND sites and enabling the FAA to waive specific provisions and regulations for the existing UAS BEYOND sites, like CNO, to support unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) research and development in a safe manner.
Mullin’s amendment was cosponsored by Senator Lankford (R-OK) and supported by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the Commercial Drone Alliance.