Reps. MacMaster, Franz, Muxlow, Darany, Denby, Durhal, Heise, Kelly, Barnett, Brunner, Daley, Driskell, Genetski, Haines, Haugh, Kivela, Kurtz, Lauwers, Nathan, Pettalia, Potvin, Rendon, Roberts, Schmidt, Schor, Slavens, Smiley, Stallworth, Talabi and Victory offered the following concurrent resolution:

            House Concurrent Resolution No. 16.

            A concurrent resolution to support and endorse the proposal submitted by the Michigan Advanced Aerial Systems Consortium requesting that Michigan be named one of six federally identified unmanned aircraft system test sites.

            Whereas, The unmanned aircraft system (UAS) market is growing rapidly and expected to double worldwide over the next decade. The military relies on UAS to carry out dangerous missions and remove humans from harm's way. UAS are also becoming an attractive tool for private companies and government agencies. Applications are being studied in the fields of law enforcement, emergency services, and surveillance of borders, waterways, power lines and pipelines; and

            Whereas, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in accordance with the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, initiated a program to identify six UAS test ranges throughout the United States. These congressionally-mandated test sites will conduct critical research into how best to safely integrate UAS into the national airspace over the next several years and what certification and navigation requirements will need to be established; and

            Whereas, The Michigan Advanced Aerial Systems Consortium has submitted an application for Michigan to be considered for one of the six UAS test sites. The consortium is led by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and includes government, academic, corporate, industry, and military partners, including Alpena County, the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Michigan National Guard, the University of Michigan, Michigan Technological University, Kettering University, Western Michigan University, and Alpena Community College;  now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That we support and endorse the proposal submitted by the Michigan Advanced Aerial Systems Consortium requesting that Michigan be named one of six federally identified UAS test sites; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Michigan congressional delegation and the Federal Aviation Administration.