European Institute

Applications for small unmanned vehicle systems are multiplying and their contribution to earth surveillance and the treatment of emergency situations is increasing in parallel to their commercial, homeland security and military applications. This conference addressed the growing need for ensuring the security of their traffic and making sure that this development is environmentally safe. Speakers included Peter van Blyenburgh, President of UVS International; Gerald F. “Fred” Pease, Jr., Executive Director for the Department of Defense Policy Board on Federal Aviation; Holger Mattiesen, Senior Specialist in Air Traffic Management Procedures and the Focal Point for Unmanned Aircraft Systems at EUROCONTROL; Robert “Rori” Marston, Director of Policy and Strategic Development for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s UAS Program; and Dana Schulze, Chief of the Aviation Engineering Division at the National Transportation Safety Board. Participants agreed that there needs to be an increase in transatlantic coordination regarding UAVs to ensure safety and regulation.