INTEGRATION OF CIVIL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS INTO NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM.

SEC. 332. INTEGRATION OF CIVIL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS INTO NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM.(a) Required Planning for Integration.—(1) Comprehensive plan.—Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with representatives of the aviation industry, Federal agencies that employ unmanned aircraft systems technology in the national airspace system, and the unmanned aircraft systems industry, shall develop a comprehensive plan to safely accelerate the integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system.(2) Contents of plan.—The plan required under paragraph (1) shall contain, at a minimum, recommendations or projections on—(A) the rulemaking to be conducted under subsection (b), with specific recommendations on how the rulemaking will—(i) define the acceptable standards for operation and certification of civil unmanned aircraft systems;(ii) ensure that any civil unmanned aircraft system includes a sense and avoid capability; and(iii) establish standards and requirements for the operator and pilot of a civil unmanned aircraft system, including standards and requirements for registration and licensing;(B) the best methods to enhance the technologies and subsystems necessary to achieve the safe and routine operation of civil unmanned aircraft systems in the national airspace system;(C) a phased-in approach to the integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system;(D) a timeline for the phased-in approach described under subparagraph (C);(E) creation of a safe(F) airspace designation for cooperative manned and unmanned flight operations in the national airspace system;(G) establishment of a process to develop certification, flight standards, and air traffic requirements for civil unmanned aircraft systems at test ranges where such systems are subject to testing;(H) the best methods to ensure the safe operation of civil unmanned aircraft systems and public unmanned aircraft systems simultaneously in the national airspace system; and(I) incorporation of the plan into the annual NextGen Implementation Plan document (or any successor document) of the Federal Aviation Administration.(3) Deadline.—The plan required under paragraph (1) shall provide for the safe integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system as soon as practicable, but not later than September 30, 2015.(4) Report to congress.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a copy of the plan required under paragraph (1).126 STAT. 74(5) Roadmap.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall approve and make available in print and on the Administration’s Internet Web site a 5-year roadmap for the introduction of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system, as coordinated by the Unmanned Aircraft Program Office of the Administration. The Secretary shall update the roadmap annually.(b) Rulemaking.—Not later than 18 months after the date on which the plan required under subsection (a)(1) is submitted to Congress under subsection (a)(4), the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register—(1) a final rule on small unmanned aircraft systems that will allow for civil operation of such systems in the national airspace system, to the extent the systems do not meet the requirements for expedited operational authorization under section 333 of this Act;(2) a notice of proposed rulemaking to implement the recommendations of the plan required under subsection (a)(1), with the final rule to be published not later than 16 months after the date of publication of the notice; and(3) an update to the Administration’s most recent policy statement on unmanned aircraft systems, contained in Docket No. FAA–2006–25714.(c) Pilot Projects.—(1) Establishment.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish a program to integrate unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system at 6 test ranges. The program shall terminate 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act.(2) Program requirements.—In establishing the program under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall—(A) safely designate airspace for integrated manned and unmanned flight operations in the national airspace system;(B) develop certification standards and air traffic requirements for unmanned flight operations at test ranges;(C) coordinate with and leverage the resources of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Defense;(D) address both civil and public unmanned aircraft systems;(E) ensure that the program is coordinated with the Next Generation Air Transportation System; and(F) provide for verification of the safety of unmanned aircraft systems and related navigation procedures before integration into the national airspace system.(3) Test range locations.—In determining the location of the 6 test ranges of the program under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall—(A) take into consideration geographic and climatic diversity;(B) take into consideration the location of ground infrastructure and research needs; and(C) consult with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Defense.126 STAT. 75(4) Test range operation.—A project at a test range shall be operational not later than 180 days after the date on which the project is established.(5) Report to congress.—(A) In general.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the termination of the program under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report setting forth the Administrator’s findings and conclusions concerning the projects.(B) Additional contents.—The report under subparagraph (A) shall include a description and assessment of the progress being made in establishing special use airspace to fill the immediate need of the Department of Defense—(i) to develop detection techniques for small unmanned aircraft systems; and(ii) to validate the sense and avoid capability and operation of unmanned aircraft systems.(d) Expanding Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in Arctic.—(1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop a plan and initiate a process to work with relevant Federal agencies and national and international communities to designate permanent areas in the Arctic where small unmanned aircraft may operate 24 hours per day for research and commercial purposes. The plan for operations in these permanent areas shall include the development of processes to facilitate the safe operation of unmanned aircraft beyond line of sight. Such areas shall enable over-water flights from the surface to at least 2,000 feet in altitude, with ingress and egress routes from selected coastal launch sites.(2) Agreements.—To implement the plan under paragraph (1), the Secretary may enter into an agreement with relevant national and international communities.(3) Aircraft approval.—Not later than 1 year after the entry into force of an agreement necessary to effectuate the purposes of this subsection, the Secretary shall work with relevant national and international communities to establish and implement a process, or may apply an applicable process already established, for approving the use of unmanned aircraft in the designated permanent areas in the Arctic without regard to whether an unmanned aircraft is used as a public aircraft, a civil aircraft, or a model aircraft.