重塑美国无人机行业的未来

而最重要的是，投资人也出席了活动。22亿美元的投资的投资人代表也参与了讨论，这些资金专项用于无人机的基础设施建设，如发展空中交通管制技术，确保无人机在美国领空的传统航线内安全飞行等。这场你来我往的讨论在詹金斯日光斑驳的拥挤小庭院内持续了一个多小时。

讨论虽有分歧但也达成诸多共识。人们一致认为，大的无人机行业通过国防和航空航天业，获得国会山的代表支持，但是小型无人机系统行业（重量低于55磅的飞行器）还需要更好地组织和表现自己。小型无人机需要根据具体尺寸制定的规则，从而使重量为5磅、飞行高度为300英尺的无人机和大型无人机得到区别对待。而最关键的是，无人机行业需要与联邦航空局合作而不是抱怨——否则很难取得进展。

詹金斯在结束讨论时告诉来宾，这将是最后一次在他的家中举行Robofest。虽然活动只是第二届，但是活动规模已经使他宽敞的庭院显得相形见绌。詹金斯表示，他正在和华盛顿特区的一些高校合作，希望使活动正式化，并计划在2016年初举行下一次的会议。他们的计划是把今天的议程带给更多观众——再拖下去恐怕会错失良机，他说。

“我们正处在一个拐点上，”一名自称是连续创业家的人士说道。他已经创立并出售四家科技公司，此次专程从密歇根赶过来参加Robofest，是希望听听其他业内人士的观点，顺便交换一下名片，建立一些新的关系。当然，他最近的新创企业是一家无人机公司，主要提供无人机产品和服务以及飞行员培训和认证——只要联邦航空局完成此项认证标准的制定，公司就可以开始展开业务。他坦言，“目前还存在很多不确定性，但是无人机行业的时代已经来临。”

太阳逐渐西斜，微风渐止——终于到了飞行的好时候。人们纷纷从汽车后备箱、背包和硬塑料行李箱中取出无人机——从小型四旋翼到大型八臂八旋翼直升机，形状和尺寸各异。随着无人机一个接一个升上天空，恍惚之间，似乎人人都回到了16岁。

译者南风

审校Patti

Above all, there is money present. Representatives of a $2.2 billion investment fund aimed specifically at drone infrastructure—such as air traffic control technologies to allow drones to safely operate alongside conventional aircraft in U.S. airspace—weigh in during the discussion. For more than an hour the discussion ping-pongs around Jenkins’ crowded, sun-dappled patio.

There is disagreement but also plenty of consensus. The large drone industry is well represented on Capitol Hill through the defense and aerospace industries, but the small UAS industry—representing aircraft that weigh less than 55 lbs.—needs to better organize and represent itself, the group agrees. Small UAS need size-specific regulations so that a five-pound drone flying at 300 feet is treated differently than a large drone. And most of all, the industry needs to work with the FAA, rather than rail against it—otherwise, little progress will occur.

Jenkins closes the discussion by informing his guests that this will be the last Robofest held at his home. Though it’s only the second such event, it’s already straining the capacity of his generous patio space. Jenkins says he’s working with universities in the D.C. area to formalize and host the next event sometime in early 2016. The plan: bring today’s agenda to a much larger audience. It would be a mistake to wait any longer, he says.

“We’re at an inflection point,” says one self-described serial entrepreneur who launched and sold four technology companies. He’s traveled to Robofest from Michigan to hear what others in the industry have to say and for the chance to swap business cards and make a few new contacts in the industry. Naturally, his latest startup is a drone company, one that would provide drone products and services as well as training and certification for pilots—as soon as standards for such certification are codified by the FAA, that is. “There’s still a lot of uncertainty,” he says. “But the time for this industry is now.”

The sun is getting low now and the breeze has died down—it’s finally time to fly. From car trunks and duffel bags and hard plastic carrying cases, out come the drones—from small quad-rotors to massive eight-armed octo-copters in varying shapes and sizes. The entire gathering looks on as one machine after another rises into the sky. In minutes, everyone is 16 again.