How Can America Move to the Lead in the Drone Race?

Every week, Drones in America will introduce listeners to guests who are leaders, influencers, and experts from various areas to talk about America’s drone industry.
Topics discussed will include the history of drones, new technology, policy, and the rapidly-growing commercial market.

On this episode, Guillot sat down with one of the most influential policymakers in the aviation world, Rep. Garret Graves (R) of Louisiana’s 6th District. Congressman Graves serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and is the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation.

Graves has been quoted supporting the use of drones in emergency response and disaster surveys and as believing in significant investments from the public and private sector to ensure job creation and economic growth in this new aviation space.

America is the birth place of aviation and has led technological growth throughout its history, but is currently falling behind the pace of innovation in a new industry. And, if it doesn’t catch up now, it might always be behind.

Graves mentioned his concerns on how few drone manufacturers there are in America and how a single company having a majority of the marketshare is bad for competition.

With the U.S. having an increased sensitivity with China that will most likely not go away for quite some time, there is a space for American manufacturers to recapture the market, which could also help ease concerns related to data and national security.

If we are able to have “U.S. manufacturers that rival or even best the technology of Chinese manufacturers, when people have a choice, they will go with a U.S. manufacturer,” Graves said.

Catch up on previous episodes of Drones In America!