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Expert testifies on House Bill 251, advocating NeoPhix UAS information-sharing to enable drone 'first-responder' capabilities
Summary
Stuart Mundell, project director for the Northeast Ohio Flight Information Exchange (NeoPhix), testified in favor of House Bill 251, saying the system can publish state and local UAS information to operators, support 'drone-first responder' operations, and help align local practice with federal safety requirements.
Stuart Mundell, affiliate professor and project director for the Northeast Ohio Flight Information Exchange (NeoPhix), provided proponent testimony on House Bill 251 during the Transportation Committee's June 10 session.
Mundell described NeoPhix as a system that allows state and local governments to publish key information to UAS operators and industry, creating a common operational picture similar to charts used in traditional aviation. He said the system is already used in northeastern Ohio and could help enable advanced air mobility and public-safety uses when integrated with federal, state and local laws. Mundell emphasized the public-safety potential of "drone as a first responder" (DFR) uses — dispatching a trained operator to gather scene information quickly to reduce risk and inform response — and cited case examples (including Chula Vista Police Department experience) to illustrate shorter response times and situational awareness benefits.
Committee members thanked Mundell for the testimony and the bill was held to a later hearing (remains in committee with a second hearing noted).
