The heads of the Ottawa airport authority and NAV CANADA have been named to a task force on tackling the “critical” threat unauthorized drones pose to North American airports in the wake major disruptions to air traffic at Gatwick and Newark airports.
Mark Laroche, president and CEO of Ottawa International Airport Authority, and Neil Wilson, president and CEO of NAV CANADA, are new members, the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Unmanned Aircraft System Mitigation at Airports said in a release Tuesday.
The issue has been highlighted by “major” disruptions at London Gatwick Airport in December 2018 and Newark Liberty International Airport in January 2019.
“As drone technology continues to evolve at an increasingly faster pace, airports across North America must continue to adapt to the presence of drones in our airspace just as quickly,” Laroche said. “While we have only seen close calls in Canada with no major incidents to date, we must ensure that we are prepared with an appropriate regulatory framework that addresses this new threat.
“It is also critical that all industry stakeholders understand the role they must play to counter any nefarious use of drones around our airports.”
Task force members will look at how airports, law enforcement and others can come up with an “efficient and seamless” response to unauthorized drone use and develop a long-term strategy on deterring incursions and tackling new technology.
Their work could help stop drone incursions at national landmarks, stadiums, prisons and military bases, said the task force formed in April by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International and Airports Council International-North America.
“The integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace has introduced distinct challenges for air traffic management now and going forward,” Wilson said. “While the growth of this new industry can be exciting, it is essential that it occur in a way that does not jeopardize the safety of others, either on the ground or in the air.”
The task force’s findings are expected to be released this summer.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
