Trump arch drone plan needs FAA review, lawmaker says

A Democratic lawmaker said on Tuesday that President Donald Trump's plan to base military drones at his proposed triumphal arch near a major Washington airport would require the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct a new safety analysis.



US Representative Don Beyer of Virginia said Trump's plan to include a large number of drones at the proposed 250-foot (76-meter) arch near Reagan Washington National Airport would threaten aviation safety. He called the idea "stupid, dangerous, and unworkable."



Trump said on Sunday that at the request of the military, he would convert the arch into a military complex capable of deploying drones and positioning snipers. The FAA cleared the structure as safe for aviation last week, but that review did not contemplate drone operations at the site.