CDA’s Lisa Ellman appointed to the US Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee

The Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA), an independent 501c6 non-profit organization led by key members of the commercial drone industry, has announced that its Executive Director, Lisa Ellman, has been appointed as a Representative member to the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC). Ellman was selected by U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to represent the commercial drone industry for a two-year term. CDA is the first-ever drone organization to be chosen to participate on the ARAC, symbolizing the drone sector’s increasing importance in the world of aviation, according to the alliance.

“Federal advisory committees enable the FAA to gather input from industry experts and the public on issues that could influence policy or regulatory changes,” says the CDA in a press release. “The ARAC’s primary focus is on providing the Secretary of Transportation, through the FAA Administrator, with information, advice, and recommendations on significant safety issues, including aircraft operations, airworthiness, maintenance, noise, training and more. These topics are critically important for the drone industry, particularly as the widely-anticipated FAA’s proposed rulemaking enabling Beyond Visual Line of Sight operations is imminent

“I am honored to represent the CDA and the commercial drone industry on the FAA’s Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee,” said Lisa Ellman, Executive Director of the CDA. “I look forward to working closely with DOT and FAA leadership, as well as my fellow committee members, to support the creation of a regulatory framework that strengthens U.S. leadership in advanced aviation. The safe integration of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System is crucial to unlocking the vast health, safety, convenience, and economic benefits that UAS can offer communities across the nation.”

For more about the FAA ARAC, please see here.