REPORTS ON EXPANDED USE OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES IN THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM.

SEC. 1044. REPORTS ON EXPANDED USE OF UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES IN THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM.(a) Findings.—Congress makes the following findings:(1) Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) serve Department of Defense intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat missions.(2) Operational reliability of unmanned aerial systems continues to improve, and development and fielding of so-called sense-and-avoid technology should continue in order to provide unmanned aerial systems with an appropriate level of safety.(3) Unmanned aerial vehicles have the potential to support the Nation’s homeland defense mission, border security mission, and natural disaster recovery efforts.(b) Reports.—(1) DOD report.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the relevant congressional committees a report on the actions of the Department of Defense to develop standards for the testing and operation of unmanned aerial vehicles in the National Airspace System.(2) FAA report.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall submit to the relevant congressional committees a report on progress in developing a policy for testing and a plan for achieving wider access by unmanned aerial vehicles that are appropriately equipped to operate in the National Airspace System(3) Relevant congressional committee.—For the purposes of this subsection, the relevant congressional committees are the following:(A) The Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Commerce, the Committee on Science and Transportation, and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate.(B) The Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Government Reform, and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.