The passing of H.R. 4, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 in the House of Representatives Friday, April 27, 2018, has been met with applause from various members of the drone community.
The House passed a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that will renew the agency's funding for another five years. Besides renewing funding, the legislation also includes provisions about unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
The rules concerning unmanned aircraft which the House considered in the passing of this Bill include:
- 26. Modifies existing prohibition in regard to FAA issuing any regulation on model aircraft flown for hobby/recreational purposes and provides FAA flexibility to collaborate with industry to update operational parameters needed for unmanned aircraft flown for hobby/recreational purposes, to mitigate risks to aviation safety and national Security.
- 27. Ensures the role of state and local government is considered during an emergency situation where an unmanned aircraft system may pose a threat to public Safety.
- 28. Codifies the Department of Transportation’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program
- 29. Directs FAA to establish a program to utilize available remote detection and identification technologies for safety oversight, including enforcement actions against operators of unmanned aircraft systems that are not in compliance with applicable Federal aviation laws, including regulations. Requires annual reporting by FAA to Congress to report the number of drones entering restricted airspace, the number of enforcement cases brought by FAA or other agencies, and recommendations by FAA for detection and mitigation systems.
- 30. Requires the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to issue regulations necessary to authorize the use of certain actively tethered public unmanned aircraft systems by government public safety agencies without any requirement to obtain a certification of waiver, certificate of authorization, or other approval by the Federal Aviation Administration.
- 33. Directs the FAA to partner with nongovernmental organizations, state, and local agencies to prevent recreational unmanned aircrafts from interfering with the efforts of emergency responders.
- 47. Establishes prohibitions to prevent the use of unmanned aircraft systems as a weapon while operating in the national airspace.
The Alliance for Drone Innovation and the Small UAV Coalition expressed support for the bill. While the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) stated their concern “about the inclusion of alternative language relating to Section 336 that, while perhaps well-intentioned, places an extreme burden on the FAA, an agency already underfunded and understaffed,” and “this alternative language creates further ambiguity for the recreational community.”
Earlier this month, the AMA announced its opposition to revoking Section 336. The AMA is pushing for preservation of Section 336, and have “worked diligently with Congress to ensure [its] hobby is protected” in FAA reauthorization.
The next step required before the FAA Reauthorization Act becomes law will be for the Senate to discuss and formulate their version of the bill. Then, both the House and the Senate bills will be considered by a Joint Committee so that a final Act may be drafted for legislation.