The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday approved bipartisan legislation seeking to address unauthorized drones hurting wildfire response.
The “Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act,” H.R. 6618, would require the Federal Aviation Administration to investigate the frequency and effect of drones in restricted airspace over the past five years, along with prevention measures. An amended version of the bill passed by voice vote.
Rep. André Carson (D-Ind.) underscored the stakes of the issue, which he said is a “costly nuisance” that risks the safety of first responders.
There were at least 34 drone incursions into active wildfire areas last year as of September, and 29 of those disrupted firefighting aircraft, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
